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Today’s post is going to cover the basics on taking care of your laundry on a homestead. We will look at how to wash and dry clothes without electricity and even how to mend and repair them. What Is Homesteading? The term homesteading has been commandeered most recently to mean living a self-sufficient lifestyle, living a life that more about working the local land and less about popping to the super-market. Abigail R. Gehring, a popular author on the subject describes it this way: “Homesteading is about creating a lifestyle that is first of all genuine. It’s about learning to…

Carbon-harvesting, smog-capturing tower is soon to emerge in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. All carbon that is collected will then be turned into jewelry. Not too long ago, when Beijing smog was making the news nearly every day, there was a Dutch designer, Daan Roosegaarde, and his team at Studio Roosegaarde, who … The post Smog-Capturing Tower to be Built in Rotterdam appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Balcony Containers — With all the rain we have had in the Midwest, I have seen a tremendous amount of early growth in my test-garden vegetables. While I usually have to water my container gardens several times a week, this year I am testing out three Garden Well™ Self-Watering Planters and so far they have survived well — I have only had to fill the containers once the entire season due to all the rain. Definitely a time-saver! I’ll do a whole report on how you use the containers in the future. Meanwhile, check out the balcony garden “look” this summer…

Josh Mogerman, Deputy Director, National Media, Chicago We have spent a lot of time talking about Chicago's petcoke problem in the last couple of years. But Chicago Magazine and Curbed Chicago have posted some gobsmacking stuff of late that conveys the scope, scale and nature of the oil refining waste problem on the Southeast Side in utterly dramatic fashion. And reinforce the old adage about pictures and a thousand words... Earlier this month, AJ Latrace had the brilliant idea of overlaying Google Earth images of two petcoke sites owned by the Koch-brothers' affiliated company KCBX over…

The wettest rainforest in the continental United States had gone up in flames and the smoke was so thick, so blanketing, that you could see it miles away. Deep in Washington’s Olympic National Park, the aptly named Paradise Fire, undaunted by the dampness of it all, was eating the forest alive and destroying an ecological Eden. In this season of drought across the West, there have been far bigger blazes but none quite so symbolic or offering quite such grim news. It isn’t the size of the fire (though it is the largest in the park’s history), nor its intensity. It’s something else…

New Balcony Containers — With all the rain we have had in the Midwest, I have seen a tremendous amount of early growth in my test-garden vegetables. While I usually have to water my container gardens several times a week, this year I am testing out three Garden Well™ Self-Watering Planters and so far they have survived well — I have only had to fill the containers once the entire season due to all the rain. Definitely a time-saver! I’ll do a whole report on how you use the containers in the future. Meanwhile, check out the balcony garden “look” this summer…

Rain barrels have been a part of my life for about eight years – I have loved the convenience of having fresh water available for the garden which does not have chlorine, fluoride, or any of the other chemical treatments cities use for drinking water. Rain barrel water can be used to water container gardens, wash cars, water your lawns and clean off tools and boots. With this year’s rainy season, many have asked me, “Why do I need to have a rain barrel?” Why You Need a Rain Barrel An easy answer is that when you collect rainwater from your roof, it reduces the quantity…

When I first met Teresa O’Connor, garden writer extraordinaire, I knew we would be great garden friends. She has an amazingly informative blog, Seasonal Wisdom, and is a writer, author, speaker and consultant about gardening, fresh foods, and seasonal folklore. She posted the most amazing Calendula-Orange Biscuit Recipe that you absolutely MUST try. (Photo credit for top photo from Judi at Cooking With Aunt JuJu. Photo credit other culinary and flower photos on page Teresa O’Connor of Seasonal Wisdom.) Calendula-Orange Biscuit Recipe Print Enjoy these flavorful…

Six years ago my family and I went on an absolutely wonderful adventure in Mexico as a guest of an eco-park in the Yucatan Peninsula. It was such a joy and learning experience that I wanted to rewrite the original story. Touching the environment and learning more about how we connect to it in an eco park was fascinating. Xel-Ha Eco Park (pronounced “shell-ha”) is a protected inlet set near Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, set in the Yucatan jungle. It is touted as being a natural aquarium park, and is indeed quite beautiful. Snorkeling in the crystal clear ocean waters at Xel-Ha is very…

For several years both my daughters had decided they were vegan or vegetarian in one form or another and for the first time ever in my life I really tried to cook more with beans in order to help supplement their health. Ultimately, we all got a great education about healthy eating and I became ABSOLUTELY ADDICTED to beans. I love them. One of the best recipes ever is this white fish with Swiss chard, spinach and black bean salad. You can serve the white fish breaded or not, hot or cold, but the salad should be at room temperature and made fresh – it usually takes me 10 minutes to…

Josh Mogerman, Deputy Director, National Media, Chicago We have spent a lot of time talking about Chicago's petcoke problem in the last couple of years. But Chicago Magazine and Curbed Chicago have posted some gobsmacking stuff of late that conveys the scope, scale and nature of the oil refining waste problem on the Southeast Side in utterly dramatic fashion. And reinforce the old adage about pictures and a thousand words... Earlier this month, AJ Latrace had the brilliant idea of overlaying Google Earth images of two petcoke sites owned by the Koch-brothers' affiliated company KCBX over…

Anjali Jaiswal, Senior Attorney, San Francisco Guest Post by Nehmat Kaur, NRDC India Representative India's former President and visionary scientist Dr. APJ Kalam passed away this week, leaving behind a legacy of technological foresight and dedicated service to the nation. He was a leading proponent of clean energy to meet India's energy deficit. Following Dr. Kalam's views of harnessing energy from clean and renewable sources, India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has taken a significant step in the right direction. Earlier this month, the MNRE published a draft Renewable…

Anjali Jaiswal, Senior Attorney, San Francisco Guest Post by Bhaskar Deol and Morgan Capilla The parties to the Montreal Protocol convened at the 36th Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) meeting in Paris last week. The meeting's primary objective was to review the four proposals and agree upon a strategy to manage dangerous heat-trapping gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol. Despite widespread support to formalize an HFC phase down, opposition from a handful of nations prevented the meeting from reaching a conclusion. The parties will now schedule an additional meeting…

Fernando Cazares, LA Regional Coordinator (Urban Solutions) & Policy Advocate, Washington, D.C. Guest Blog by Denny Zane, Executive Director of MoveLA (@MoveLATransit) I grew up in Colton, a small town in San Bernardino County. I remember vividly that our school tennis matches often had to be called early because the air pollution was so severe that everybody's throat and chest were burning. It is a sharp and a particularly egregious memory of my young life. Later when I became a councilman and then mayor in Santa Monica, these memories motivated me to champion clean car fleets for the city.

Dave Hawkins, Director of Climate Programs, Washington, D.C. Co-authored by Andrew Stevenson, independent financial analyst. Over the past year the Big 3 of the US coal industry (Peabody Energy, Arch Coal, and Alpha Natural) have seen their combined market cap fall from $6bln to $350mln and their funding rates soar from 8% to 65%. "War on coal" or something else entirely? Big Coal's Nemesis: Bad Bets on the Market For years now, Big Coal has tried to blame its woes on a government "war on coal" but the truth is the market and a series of bad decisions by coal producers are what has put coal…

The wettest rainforest in the continental United States had gone up in flames and the smoke was so thick, so blanketing, that you could see it miles away. Deep in Washington’s Olympic National Park, the aptly named Paradise Fire, undaunted by the dampness of it all, was eating the forest alive and destroying an ecological Eden. In this season of drought across the West, there have been far bigger blazes but none quite so symbolic or offering quite such grim news. It isn’t the size of the fire (though it is the largest in the park’s history), nor its intensity. It’s something else…

As usual, reauthorization of the law governing federal transportation spending is long overdue, caught in D.C.’s gridlock. But on Thursday the Senate did its part to break the impasse: It finally passed a six-year transportation bill, which includes some surprisingly good provisions for the environment. Although it remains to be seen what the more conservative House of Representatives will do with the bill when they take it up this fall, results from the Senate suggest that the trend toward suburbanization has gone as far as it can and is now starting to bend back. Rampant sprawl once meant…

Narayana Angulo spent practically his entire childhood locked in a cramped public housing apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He and his six siblings grew up under the strict rule of a controlling father, Oscar, who let them go outside maybe a few times a year, although never during the winter, and one year, not at all. The family lived on welfare and whatever small income the kids’ mother, Susanne, earned for homeschooling the whole brood. The Angulos’ incredible story is featured in the new documentary The Wolfpack. The film focuses on how, with almost no connection…

On a cold morning last fall at my parents’ house in rural Montana, I stumbled downstairs for a glass of water. I reached for the faucet and saw a deer heart in the sink. My stomach lurched at the sight of the large, maroon organ against stainless steel — a muscle designed for constant motion now sitting still. But I knew what it meant: My father came back from another successful hunt. This wasn’t Dad’s First Kill. He started at 9, and in the six decades since he’s killed hundreds of animals. There’s a wide variety of life on the Smith cattle ranch, from badgers to weasels to…

It’s music festival season, and since we can’t (nor would we) drive all over the country picking your asses up in our VW bus, we’ve decided to do one better and bring the festivities to you this year. We’ve partnered with our planet-loving friends at Pickathon to bring you this year’s fest — right here — live all weekend long from the Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Ore. Our dearly departed David Roberts put it best when he called it “a music festival made by people who love music festivals for people who love music festivals.” So,…

On Saturday night, the most famous building in New York City will be aglow with images of endangered species as part of Oceanic Preservation Society’s “Projecting Change on the Empire State Read MoreThe post Endangered Species to Light Up the Empire State Building appeared first on Ecorazzi.

Our Hen House, a nonprofit animal rights organization, has launched a new podcast completely dedicated to the legal system and its relationship to animals. Hosted by self-proclaimed “passionate (and nosy) Read MoreThe post New Podcasts Explores the Ins and Outs of Animal Law appeared first on Ecorazzi.

The Swedish government is again considering a “meat tax” in a bid to encourage less meat consumption. Two years after it ruled out Swedish Board of Agriculture’s recommendation that a Read MoreThe post Sweden Considers Implementing a ‘Meat Tax’ appeared first on Ecorazzi.

Looks like the jackals, the tricksters of traditional folklore, have fooled us once again. The golden jackals found across parts of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, are now Read MoreThe post African Golden Wolf is First New Canine in 150 Years appeared first on Ecorazzi.

The Zimbabwean authorities have officially stated they want Walter James Palmer, the dentist responsible for killing Cecil, the lion, in an illegal hunt, extradited to the country so he can Read MoreThe post Zimbabwe Asks for Extradition of Cecil’s Killer appeared first on Ecorazzi.

At times we find ourselves trying to figure out “what life is all about” or “the purpose of life”, but why must we try to figure out something that does not have a definite meaning? It’s really up to us to complete a meaning… (Continue Reading). The post Food for Thought Fridays: The Masterpiece appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

6 Summer Hike & Swim Spots to Visit in California The whole point of an estival adventure is to get a good workout in, and to feel the excitement of finally arriving to a refreshing destination. We’ve gathered 6 spots in California, with good hikes and water fun, that you do not want to miss out on this summer! So, grab your workout gear and swimsuits, and prepare yourself for the great outdoors!… (Click Here to Read Full Article) The post 6 Summer Hike & Swim Spots to Visit in California appeared first on TheGreenGirls.com.

Thinking about your health and fitness is always in season. We, at Appleletics.com, are a true believer that fitness and health are key to staying healthy and happy. If you’re looking for new health tips, recipes, resources or inspiration, we got you covered! To help you with your journey, we’ve put together a list of 100 must read fitness and health blogs and pages. Enjoy! Top 100 Must Read Fitness and Health Blogs http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ http://myfitnesscloset.com http://www.blackgirlsrun.com/ http://ultrarunnergirl.com/ http://asklaurenfleshman.com/…

Single use plastic bags for sandwiches and snacks (like Ziploc bags) have become the American norm, but it’s time to swap them out with something that will save you money and be healthier for you and the environment. Given the fact that they aren’t biodegradable and that plastic bags can contain hormone-disrupting chemicals they really are bad news for us as well as wildlife. The good news though is that there’s an abundance of fun options for reusable sandwich and snack bags. Here are some of the best: Re-Pac (check out their spout pouches for baby food, sauces, and travel toiletries)…

Plastic straws may seem like a pretty small threat compared to climate change, animal agriculture, or deforestation, but they’re a perfect symbol of unnecessary waste. They’re also one more clever way Big Oil keeps us in its grasp. Cheap and convenient, it’s estimated that easily 60 million plastic straws (a.k.a. drinking straws) are thrown away every day! So, let’s take a look at five reasons they suck so badly and how to easily avoid plastic straws for your health and global health. 1. Toxins. There is mounting evidence that plastics, even when labeled BPA-free (which straws are…

President Obama will unveil on Monday a set of environmental regulations devised to sharply cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from the nation’s power plants and ultimately transform America’s electricity industry.

Scientists at University of California Davis and San Francisco State University have discovered that the combination of elevated levels of carbon dioxide and an increase in ocean water temperature has a significant impact on survival and development of the Antarctic dragonfish (Gymnodraco acuticeps). The research article was published today in the journal Conservation Physiology.

An entire ecosystem is at risk from the effects of climate change on the UK’s blanket bogs, scientists at the University of Leeds have warned. These wetland habitats provide important feeding and nesting grounds for bird species including the dunlin, red grouse and golden plover. Blanket bogs are also the source of most of our drinking water and vital carbon stores. The scientists warn that the effects of climate change, such as altered rainfall patterns and summer droughts, could drastically affect bog hydrology, which in turn could affect insect and bird populations.

In the virtual worlds of climate modeling, forests and other vegetation are assumed to bounce back quickly from extreme drought. But that assumption is far off the mark, according to a new study of drought impacts at forest sites worldwide. Living trees took an average of two to four years to recover and resume normal growth rates after droughts ended, researchers report today in the journal Science.

Wine-making is steeped in age-old traditions, but to address the threat of pests and concerns over heavy pesticide use, vintners are turning to science. With the goal of designing better grape breeds, scientists are parsing the differences between wild American grapes — which make terrible wine but are pest-resistant — and the less hardy grape species pressed for fine wines worldwide. They report their findings in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The Faroe Islands' annual 'grindadráp', in which hundreds of pilot whales are slaughtered with knives and hooks, is a horrifying spectacle, writes David Lusseau. But unlike industrial whaling it poses no threat to the species. And is it really any worse than the industrial factory farming that we routinely ignore?Anyone that signs a petition to stop the Faroese grindadráp only to go home and roast a chicken that never saw daylight or moved much when it was reared is a hypocrite.In the mid-20th century pilot whaling still took place in many north Atlantic…

Before summer disappears completely, maybe it’s time to plan a trip to Europe. When you stay in one of these luxurious European eco spa resorts, you’ll never need a “vacation from your vacation”. Perfectly situated to explore Europe’s most beloved regions from Tuscany to Spain’s Costa Blanca, imagine coming back from a river cruise or wine tasting to float above the sea in healing thermal waters or indulge in an energy balancing massage. These 8 luxurious eco spa resorts rejuvenate your body and soul while you experience the European vacation of your dreams.

If you want the whole happy marriage thing, just keep these tips in mind. Being that I’m a commitment-phobe in the worst possible way, I’m not sure if marriage is in the cards for me. I feel like the only way I’m ever going to be in a successful relationship, let alone a happy marriage, is if I don’t realize I’m in one. (No, but seriously.) If pukey couples who rub in their happiness like a scene from “The Sound of Music” make you feel like you didn’t get the memo either… well, you could be right. Cornell gerontologist Karl Pillemer…

Need to infuse your jewelry box with some new baubles? We’ve got you covered. The upcoming August EcoSalon giveaway is full of beautiful pieces of jewelry that are made ethically. Want to get to know the brand that’s part of the giveaway? We’ve got you covered… Soko empowers nearly 1,000 artisans in Kenya, using design to promote conscious style. All of Soko’s artisans create modern, ethical jewelry that is handmade from sustainable materials. The company’s solid brass pendants and cuffs are made from metals that are salvaged, melted down, and recast into…

It’s been another rough news week, so we decided to post a video filled with cute to cap your week off right. This video contains images of a super cute corgi puppy named Peanut Butter who’s just trying to get down the stairs. The nine-week-old puppy doesn’t get too far before he decides enough is enough and just plops down to take a rest. Thanks to Jezebel for making us aware of the cuteness. Related on EcoSalon Bulldog and Bulls Smooch Through Fence [Video] No Puppy Should Ever Have to Share [Video] This Bulldog Puppy Trying to Walk Will Totally Melt You [Video] The post…

August starts tomorrow and that got us thinking… Summer is coming to an end. We know you all probably want none of that talk, but them’s the brakes. To help you fashionably say goodbye to summer as the nights get colder (and hello to those cool, early fall mornings), we’ve rounded up 5 stylish cover-ups. 1. Old Navy Poncho We’re starting off with an inexpensive cover-up because we know that you’re probably going to attend more than a few bonfires, or sit alongside a handful of fire pits in the coming months. You should go, but also should pack a cover-up that can…

The proposed Pebble Mine in southwestern Alaska is a project of almost unfathomable scale. If the copper- and gold-mining project proceeds, the mine would cover 28 square miles and require the construction of the world’s largest earthen dam — 700 feet high and several miles long — to hold back a 10-square-mile containment pond filled with up to 2.5 billion tons of sulfide-laden mine waste. All this would be built not only in an active seismic region, but also in one of the most unspoiled and breathtaking places on the planet — the headwaters of Bristol Bay, home to the world’s most…

Roughly 40 percent of adults worldwide have never heard of climate change, according to an analysis of global climate change awareness and risk perception published in Nature Climate Change. The percentage of people unaware of climate change rises to more than 65 percent in developing countries such as Egypt, Bangladesh, and India, whereas only 10 percent of the public is unaware in North America, Europe, and Japan. The findings indicate that strategies for securing public engagement in climate issues will vary from country to country, the researchers say, because different populations…

SAINT-DENIS, Reunion (Reuters) - As experts on the Indian Ocean island Reunion studied plane debris for clues in the search for missing flight MH370, scientist Nicolas Villeneuve was making his own discovery: the island's volcano was about to erupt.

ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - Perched on the muddy bank of a river meandering through rolling green hills, the Lemurs' Park near Madagascar's capital is rated one of the city's top attractions, but you would not know it from the number of visitors.

(Reuters) - The killing of Cecil the lion by a U.S. hunter in Zimbabwe has turned up the pressure on Washington to extend legal protection to the African lion by declaring it an endangered species, but some hunting advocates said that would lead to more regulations that could ultimately harm the big cats.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will unveil on Monday the final version of his plan to tackle greenhouse gases from coal-fired power plants, kicking off what is expected to be a tumultuous legal battle against federal environmental regulators by the coal industry and its political allies.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Sunday slammed President Barack Obama's forthcoming standards for power plant emissions, charging that they would do little for the climate at far too great an expense for American consumers. "It will make the cost of electricity higher for millions of Americans," Rubio, a presidential candidate, said during an interview at a private gathering of wealthy donors in Dana Point, California, hosted by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch. The new rules, should they withstand legal scrutiny, would call for a 32 percent reduction of…

Any viral video that can make us dreamy and happy at the same time is OK by us. Dog Raven joined toddler Addison for a nap, according to the YouTube description of the clip: "That moment you can't find your dog and you even go outside looking for him ... only to walk in the house and find him snuggled up in bed next to your toddler." And all is right with the world. H/T Laughing Squid Also on HuffPost: -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on…

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A second American killed a lion in an illegal hunt with a bow and arrow in Zimbabwe several months ago, amid an international outcry over a U.S. hunter accused of illegally killing a well-known lion named Cecil in early July, authorities said Sunday. The second American was involved in an illegal hunt of a lion in April around Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, said the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in a statement. A Zimbabwean landowner named Headman Sibanda was arrested in the case and is assisting police with their investigation, the authority…

BREAKING: On Monday, President Obama will release the final version of America's Clean Power Plan—the biggest, most important step we've ever taken to combat climate change. If you agree that we can't condemn our kids and grandkids to a planet that's beyond fixing, share this video with your friends and family. It's time to #ActOnClimate.Posted by The White House on Saturday, August 1, 2015 WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration will release final standards for power plants on Monday that are, in several key ways, tougher than the draft version of the plan. Both The…

Four years ago, Phil Yarbrough’s horse Mercedes broke her leg and ripped apart her knee while running in her pasture outside Atlanta. "She went over a hill, and she did not come back up," Yarbrough said. Conventional wisdom suggests that horses with broken legs can't be saved. Hundreds of racehorses with injured limbs are euthanized each year. In June, a horse named Helwan was euthanized after he broke a bone on the same track where, hours later, American Pharoah won the Triple Crown But Yarbrough wasn't willing to consider this fate for his horse. "She's like a kid to me," he…

By Cecilia Alvear and George Lewis www.galapagosdigital.com Sea Cucumber in Galápagos Marine Reserve west of Isabela Island projectnoah.org After considerable debate, representatives of the Galápagos National Park and the fishing industry have agreed to postpone the start of fishing for sea cucumbers until August 10th, according to the Galápagos newspaper and online publication Periódico El Colono. A 45-day season for sea cucumbers had been scheduled to get underway on the first of August, but fishermen weren't happy with the timing and requested the postponment. Because the sea cucumbers…

Fossil fuel development, livestock grazing, transmission corridors, off-road vehicles, roads, fences, invasive species, climate change -- these are just a few of the 26 threats facing the greater sage-grouse, an iconic bird in the American west. The species population has suffered steep declines over the last decade. Without strong conservation efforts, the future of the bird is bleak. So bleak in fact that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined as recently as 2010 that the sage-grouse warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, although listing was precluded at the time by…

Last August, a toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie left half a million people in the Toledo area unable to use their own tap water for drinking, bathing, or cooking. A year later, with another algae outbreak growing in Toledo's water supply, one thing is clear: If we want safe drinking water, we need better protections for our waterways. So what happened in Lake Erie, and why is it happening again? For years, massive runoff pollution from agribusiness in the Maumee River basin has been contributing to enormous algae blooms, which create oxygen-deprived dead zones that can kill fish and make humans…

First there was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, now there's The Secret Life of Walter Palmer, that mild-mannered balding bespectacled Minnesota dentist, who is in reality a big game hunter and serial animal killer. It is being reported that Walter is nowhere to be found. He seems to have gone missing. His cosmetic dental office is closed, and no one answers the door at his suburban Minneapolis McMansion. He has reportedly sent a note to his patients to go elsewhere. (Many intended to do that without the doctor's advice.) Will we soon see his smiling face on milk cartons? "Have you seen this…

Courtesy of Honor the Earth The summer of 2015 finds Native communities in Minnesota and the Dakotas fighting a multi-front war to protect precious water resources from big oil and uranium mining. There is a compelling Sioux spiritual belief that says tribes have a duty to protect "Unci Maka" for seven generations. "Unci Maka" is Lakota for "Grandmother Earth." The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 provides the legal argument that tribes have jurisdiction over all water, both above ground and in aquifers on treaty lands. The agreement marked the end of Oglala Sioux Chief Red Cloud's war against the…

Resettlement projects in the Amazon are driving severe tropical deforestation, according to new research. Widely hailed as a socially responsible and 'innocuous' strategy of land redistribution, agrarian reform settlements have been created throughout the Brazilian Amazon since the early 1970s at an unprecedented scale. But a new study reveals that these farmer resettlement projects are far from environmentally friendly or socio-economically beneficial.

As tropical storm Isaac was gaining momentum toward the Mississippi River in August 2012, researchers were dropping instruments from the sky above to study the ocean conditions beneath the storm. The newly published study showed how a downwelling of warm waters deepened the storm's fuel tank for a rapid intensification toward hurricane status. The results also revealed how hurricane-generated currents and ocean eddies can transport oil and other pollutants to coastal regions.

The humble butterfly could hold the key to unlocking new techniques to make solar energy cheaper and more efficient, pioneering new research has shown. By mimicking the v-shaped posture adopted by Cabbage White butterflies to heat up their flight muscles before take-off, the amount of power produced by solar panels can increase by almost 50 per cent, scientists say.

In the summer of 1970, between my sophomore and junior years of high school in Richmond, Virginia, a federal court ruled that the city’s school system had to be integrated. This became known as “forced busing,” which meant, of course, “forced busing, but this time of whites”. For years afterwards, politicians in central Virginia were expected to denounce forced busing but not to actually do anything. One political commentator remarked on this type of stance as a particularly Southern type of political dishonesty, a meaningless posturing for votes.

Continuing an effort to draw down dependence on energy subsidies and low-cost electricity, Egypt moved to raise electricity prices this week for mid to high household usage by an average of 19 percent for the next fiscal year.

It was the early nineties and I was headed down to Houston with a video crew in tow. Our task: to capture generic footage of motorists filling up at Shell gas stations for use as part of a satellite news feed for an imminent company news announcement.

A new study concluded that utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States are more cost effective than rooftop PV systems in achieving the economic and policy benefits we all expect to come from the widespread use of solar energy. But it may not be so simple.

Everyone loves to take a vacation, and hopefully you don’t need to be persuaded to take yours and travel the world! The current trend is that many people in the States do not take their full annual leave allowance from work. Did you know that world travel can actually have some incredible health benefits? You read right! Travel can actually be good for you. So stop making excuses! Traveling should be a priority – start planning your trip as soon as possible! 1. Traveling Can Reduce Your Risk of Dementia The risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease steadily…

Today’s post is going to cover the basics on taking care of your laundry on a homestead. We will look at how to wash and dry clothes without electricity and even how to mend and repair them. What Is Homesteading? The term homesteading has been commandeered most recently to mean living a self-sufficient lifestyle, living a life that more about working the local land and less about popping to the super-market. Abigail R. Gehring, a popular author on the subject describes it this way: “Homesteading is about creating a lifestyle that is first of all genuine. It’s about learning to…

It is not often publicised, the number of people that are killed by the US Police Force each year. We suspect it is bad, we pick up snippets from mass media, but it is rarely put under a spotlight for us to analyse. We don’t know how the States measures up against other countries, nor how individuals States compare to each other. But people are starting to take count, and once you start to look into it, the figures are very difficult to ignore. American police shoot dead far more individuals than any other police force in the world. The Good Human wants to share the statistics from 2015…

This post was inspired by a documentary titled ‘The True Cost’, which you can watch here. It is a fascinating look at the bigger picture of the fashion industry. The full story is shocking and heartbreaking – and it is something that as many people as possible should hear. The human cost of the business is alarming, with exploitation being the root of what allows us to purchase such a staggering array of cheap clothes – something that is known as ‘fast fashion’. Andrew Morgan takes us on a journey to the heart of the clothing industry, which is a global…

The top complaints that I hear from people regarding food are: It is so expensive It is not fresh enough The farming methods are unethical Too many pesticides are used One of the most obvious solutions is to grow your own! That can ensure that you avoid virtually all of these issues. Price The cost of herbs in particular can be very high – as much as $6 for a pack, which lasts for a meal or two at the most. Vegetables also add up if you like to feed your family a healthy and balanced diet. Over time it can be expensive to keep freshness on your plate. Control You can take complete…

For the past several weeks, the drilling industry — hammered by bad financial results — has begun promoting its next big thing: the Utica shale, generating the sort of headlines you might have seen five years ago, when the shale drilling rush was gaining speed. “Utica Shale Holds 20 Times More Gas Than Previous Estimates”, read one headline. “Utica Bigger Than Marcellus”, proclaimed another. Click here for reuse options! Tags: shalefrackingInvestmentsstockscapitalChesapeake Energylossesmarket capitalizationUtica Shaletechnically recoverable resourcereservespotentialnatural…

As jury selection begins for the trial of coal baron Don Blankenship, his team of lawyers are doing everything possible to prevent prosecuting attorneys from mentioning the Upper Big Branch mine explosion that claimed the lives of 29 mine workers. Blankenship is currently awaiting trial on charges of conspiring to violate mine safety standards and making false statements. These charges are what ultimately led to the mine disaster, but Blankenship has not been charged for that explosion. Click here for reuse options! Tags: don blankenshipMasseycoalMineexplosionUpper Big…

A California family is suing the state for failing to protect their children from fracking. At issue are the state’s new fracking regulations, which went into effect on July 1. Rodrigo Romo, the named plaintiff in the suit, says the rules discriminate against Latino children, like his daughters, because they are far more likely to go to school or live near a fracked well. “Everyday my daughters go to school, they fear for their health and safety because of how close the fracking wells are to their schools,” Romo said in a statement. Click here for reuse options!

Congress adjourned at the end of this week for their annual August vacation, and as usual, they used this last week of July to push their most extreme anti-environment legislation. One of the main goals of the industry-funded House of Representatives is to loosen coal ash rules before they go into effect in October, and that’s exactly what the House did last week. Click here for reuse options! Tags: coal ashDisposalregulationDavid McKinleyLegislationgroundwatercontaminationDuke EnergyCancerPoisonToxinDangersarsenic

AttachmentSize DOGGR Letter to US EPA covering 7-15-15 submittal215.38 KB Attachment 2, Plan for Class II Improvements359.8 KB California oil and gas regulators still embroiled in controversy over their “corrupt, inept, and woefully mismanaged” underground injection control program — which permitted thousands of oilfield wastewater disposal wells to operate in protected groundwater aquifers — are refusing to release the results of a report on thousands more injection wells that could be polluting L.A.’s drinking water supply. Click here for reuse options!

We’re self-professed s’more addicts here at SMP, and we’ve found a kindred spirit in Mara of M Loves M who came up this mouthwatering take on s’mores a la pie form! Buttery graham cracker crust, silky smooth homemade chocolate pudding and mounds of mini ‘mallows toasted before serving—dare we say it’s even better than the original campfire treat? “I love that it’s reminiscent of a classic campfire s’more with a graham cracker crust, but it has a decadent chocolate pudding base. Homemade chocolate pudding is another nostalgic childhood…

Once we spotted this ombré tassel pillow over at M Loves M, we knew we absolutely had to make one for ourselves. We’re sure you’re seeing the tassel trend everywhere, and now you join in with this easy and inexpensive DIY project thanks to the ever so talented Mara! And, if you haven’t checked out M Loves M yet, what are you waiting for—you’re totally missing out! 18×18 pillow embroidery floss (I picked 8 different colors, so I bought two packets per color. I made 4 tassels per color for a total of 32. Whoa that’s a mouthful. Let me know if it makes…

These fancy grilled cheese recipes featured at Lauren Kelp are proof that the comfort food favorite can be dinner party-friendly. “Trust me, it’s the perfect time of year to add these to your dinner party cue. The weather is just right, and it’s such a good way to be intentional with your guests while avoiding that stuffy dinner party feeling,” says Constance of Lauren Kelp. See her 3 favorites below! #1 – The E.P.A. fried egg | prosciutto | avocado | shredded white cheddar cheese #2 – Swiss Chard & Tomato lightly sauteed swiss chard | heirloom tomatoes | whole…

Every time we flip through a home design magazine, we get serious house envy. Creating a stylish space that can handle kids, pets and everything else life throws at you (and sticking to a budget no less)—where do we even start? That’s where the design experts at MyDomaine come in with these simple ideas to add polish to your space. Check out the slideshow below for eight easy tips! 8 Easy Updates That Add Polish to Your SpaceView Slideshow8 Easy Updates That Add Polish to Your SpaceView Slideshow For more from MyDomaine… These Tiny Homes Get Small-Space Design Right | 8 Experts…

Kristy Rice, the huge talent behind Momental Designs, set out to shower her childhood friend with a day crafted around their shared love of the Anne of Green Gable series. From book favors with hand-painted covers to the narrative of Anne beautifully woven into each and every detail (including a fab cake table), this is a stunning modern spin on a childhood classic all captured by Danielle Coons. Share this gorgeous gallery on A few highlights: A modern twist on Anne of Green Gables at Terrain in Philadelphia Individually hand painted stationery throughout including artfully…

Bill Nye is a glutton for punishment, apparently. The Internet’s favorite Science Guy (well, perhaps second favorite since Neil DeGrasse Tyson took the time to explain the ending of Interstellar to us mere mortals) engaged in the ultimate Internet trial-by-fire—reading mean tweets about himself on camera.

Aboard a ferry off the coast of Rhode Island, state and federal officials take a close look at a steel structure poking out of the ocean. It's the first foundation affixed to the seafloor for a five-turbine wind farm off the state's coast.

Three hundred sixty-five companies and investors sent letters on Friday to more than two dozen governors supporting the Environmental Protection Agency's plans to significantly reduce carbon emissions from power plants, urging even the most recalcitrant states to recognize the economic and environmental benefits of the new rules.

Another summer of record-breaking drought and heat has seized the West, setting off costly and destructive wildfires from Southern California, where a single blaze burned more than 30,000 acres of national forest east of Los Angeles, to Montana, where a fast-moving fire in Glacier National Park recently forced tourists to flee hotels, campgrounds and vehicles.

After debuting the first solar air battery—a photo-assisted charging Li-O2 battery—last fall (earlier post), researchers at The Ohio State University led by Professor Yiying Wu have now developed a new system combining a solar cell and a battery into a single device. The new aqueous lithium−iodine (Li−I) solar flow battery (SFB) incorporates a built-in dye-sensitized TiO2 photoelectrode in a Li−I redox flow battery via linkage of an I3/I based catholyte for the simultaneous conversion and storage of solar energy. During the photo-assisted charging process, I ions are…

The US Department of Energy (DOE) issued a funding opportunity announcement (DE-FOA-0001313) to support the research, development, and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactor concepts. The announcement represents an early step in increasing investment in nuclear advanced reactor technologies, the DOE said. DOE will partner with industry to fund up to two awards of approximately $6.0 million each in FY 2015. The Energy Department will invest up to $3.6 million in each project, with a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) providing up to an additional $2.4 million.

Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) will acquire substantially all the assets of Imperium Renewables, Inc., including a 100-million gallon nameplate capacity biomass-based diesel refinery and deepwater port terminal at the Port of Grays Harbor, Washington. (Earlier post.) Under the terms of the agreement, REG will pay Imperium $15 million in cash and issue 1.5 million shares of REG common stock in exchange for substantially all of Imperium’s assets. In addition to these payments, REG will pay either $1.75 million in cash or 175,000 shares of REG common stock at closing as elected by REG. For…

The Volkswagen Group nominated the first 44 suppliers who will be collaborating with the Group on a new common strategic level under the joint FAST initiative. Among the 44 is LG Electronics for the supply of high-voltage batteries. (Earlier post.) Volkswagen Group Procurement is responding to the challenges currently facing the automotive industry by working together with its suppliers under the “Future Automotive Supply Tracks” initiative (or FAST for short) and will implement technical innovations even faster. Volkswagen AG said it chose the first tranche of suppliers for “their…

UK-based Aeristech has introduced a new 48V electric supercharger capable of continuous operation at high boost levels. Independently validated by Ricardo and MAHLE Powertrain UK, the technology provides greater efficiency and easier packaging than a mechanical supercharger or a two-stage turbocharger. Aeristech said it overcame the thermal management issues that can restrict other electric boosting devices currently available on the market to only transient operation by using permanent magnet motor technology in place of the more usual switched reluctance type. This has been made…

A lot of us tend to throw out old, broken items, thinking we wouldn’t have any use for them. Sadly, that’s not the truth. There are plenty of ways in which you can reuse old, broken items for other purposes in your home. For instance, take a look at these 7 useful tools that are ... The post 7 Useful tools made of old, recycled parts appeared first on Eco Friend.

Laundry devices may be one of the last things you expect to find on Kickstarter, but one project has been wildly successful, for good reason. The Crystal Wash 2.0 Kickstarter met its goal in less than half the allotted time by proposing an easy-to-use, money-saving, eco-friendly alternative to traditional laundry detergent. Crystal Wash completely eliminates ... The post How Crystal Wash 2.0 Is Revolutionizing Laundry: Cheap, Eco-Friendly, and Easy-to-Use appeared first on Eco Friend.

When it comes to making your home eco-friendly, most homeowners tend to think about the most obvious choices, such as eco-friendly flooring, paint, appliances, and even air purifiers. However, there’s another amenity you can buy for your home that will also radiate green. Eco-friendly fireplaces are available for both the interior and exterior ... The post Why You Should Consider Eco-friendly Fireplaces appeared first on Eco Friend.

Eco Movement Driving Cost Savings In Product Packaging Each year in Canada, 25 million tonnes of non-hazardous refuse finds its way into our landfills. Think about that for a second: that’s a tonne of garbage for every man, woman, and child that lives in the country’s three most populous provinces. To be fair, households ... The post Eco Movement Driving Cost Savings In Product Packaging appeared first on Eco Friend.

Valentine’s Day every year is usually filled with love filled decorations, cards and gifts galore. But have you any stopped to wonder about how eco-friendly these items would be? Or did you ever think about how you can make your decorations more eco-friendly? Well, here are some Valentine’s Day decorations that have been made from ... The post 6 Awesome ideas for recycling your Valentine’s Day decorations appeared first on Eco Friend.

By Tomas CarbonellKentucky power plant. Photo by Cindy Cornett Seigle/Flickr The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon finalize the Clean Power Plan — a suite of historic Clean Air Act standards that will establish the first nationwide limits on carbon pollution from America’s fossil fuel-fired power plants. Rigorous carbon pollution standards for the nation’s power sector will yield immense benefits for the health of our families and communities, for the American economy, and for a safer climate for our children. Yet in the months leading up to the release of the…

By Peter ZalzalThe Clean Power Plan has now won a second round in court – before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finished writing it. The federal district court for the Northern District of Oklahoma rejected another premature challenge on Friday to the proposed standards for carbon pollution from existing fossil fuel power plants. The first – a challenge brought by Murray Energy Corporation and several states, including Oklahoma – was dismissed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit just last month. In that decision, the D.C. Circuit court found…

By Michael PanfilSource: iStock The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), a grid operator, states, and other parties just filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court in a case that could decide whether Americans have access to low-cost, clean and reliable electricity. The case, EPSA v. FERC, revolves around demand response, a resource that helps keep prices low and the lights on – and does so while also being environmentally friendly. In 2013, for example, demand response saved customers in the mid-Atlantic region close to 12 billion dollars. And during the polar vortex, which…

By Tomas CarbonellSupreme Court of the United States The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first proposed the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards back in 2011, at a news conference at Children’s Hospital with cheering children and families surrounding the speakers. They were cheering because the Mercury Standards were the single most important clean air measure of our generation – designed to protect Americans from some of the worst, most dangerous types of air pollution. They still are. This week’s disappointing Supreme Court decision, remanding the standards back to the D.C.

By Lucía Oliva HennellyLas Vegas — Wikimedia Commons When I landed in Las Vegas last week, the weather was a broiling 108 degrees. Ouch. I braved the Las Vegas heat for one of the most inspiring convenings of Latino leaders in the country, the Annual Conference of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO). We had a chance to hear from established and rising Latino leaders, as well as from Presidential candidates, about the challenges facing Latino communities and the many paths forward for creating a brighter future. What we did not hear about was a vision for places…

These days, when you need an extra bed, you’re more likely to pull out an air mattress than a sofa sleeper and for camping, the inflatable air mattress is apt to be found on most packing lists. The problem, however, is that these days they are almost universally made with PVC, which outgasses harmful fumes long after that telltale “new mattress smell” has dissipated and can contain lead. A few years ago, those of us who objected to breathing in toxic fumes may have had little recourse other than to forgo the luxury of an air mattress and lump it—but we now have options:…

Warnings about the danger of phthalates in plastics are once again in the news by way of a study recently presented by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. This time researchers have found a link between soft plastics such as those found in raincoats, rubber duckies, shower curtains and air mattresses* (PVC) and a reduced sex drive in women. The primary reason for this is due to phthalates, which are already known to be endocrine disruptors that reduce testosterone levels in men, women and children and are associated with overall reproductive toxicity. However, the findings that…

What: Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent Features: Rockin’ Green is a line of eco-friendly laundry detergents and cleaning products, particularly for those with sensitive skin. The laundry detergents are free of harsh chemicals and extra gentle on the skin, but they’re still super effective and get the job done well. However, there are other factors besides detergents that affect how well your laundry gets clean. Water type is a huge consideration and Rockin’ Green has a formula for your water type. Green Factor: Biodegradable and made from recycled materials, recyclable…

What: The Charlie Banana 2-in-1 training pants are twice as nice because they also double as a reusable swim diaper! The outer layer is waterproof while the inside is a soft organic cotton lining. Available in 4 sizes to fit children 11-55 pounds in a variety of prints and colors. Features: They can be used as daytime training pants OR a swim diaper. Easy to get on and off and economical compared to buying packs and packs and packs of disposable training pants! Green Factor: Organic cotton and non-disposable Bonus: If you buy them from Diapers.com on Amazon, you can get them for about $6 less…

I know it sounds silly to worry about butter wrappers but they can’t be recycled because of the oil so what, if anything, can you do with them? Well, there are actually quite a few things you can do with them and if you find yourself with more than you need at the moment, you can always freeze them by folding them in half with the dry side on the outside. Grease Pans: So easy, and just the right amount of grease! Corn on the Cob: Buttering corn on the cob without getting the whole butter stick all corny and your corn all greasy. Perfectly Cut Cakes: Grease your knife with a butter…

If there’s one lake on this planet that defines the amalgam of clarity and blueness, then it surely got to be Lake Tahoe. The freshwater lake in Sierra Nevada has been drawing masses from around with its mesmerizing blue-hue and clarity. Conservationists around have been keenly engaging themselves into preserving the clarity of water, and they believe that’s to subsequently help them preserve the blueness of the lake. But that just remains a belief, as new scientist revelations point out that the water clarity has got nothing to do with the blue color of the lake. In fact, it’s…

July 20 is the date that marks a giant leap in the history of mankind. That is the day when man set foot on the moon. It’s 46 years since Apollo 11 transported Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin safely back home from the surface of the moon. It’s in this backdrop that a study, partly funded by NASA, has revealed the brighter prospects for the coming decade, reflecting how far mankind has progressed with moon exploration over these years. Carried out by NexGen Space LLC with a 21-member team of former NASA administration members, the study explains the scope of developments for NASA with…

The world’s oldest known monkey skull might just be writing off the prevailing concepts in brain evolution. The recent revelation is that old world monkeys might have had tiny, yet complex brains, contradicting the belief that primates brain enlarged to get complex later. The revelation comes as part of findings of a research led by Fred Spoor of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Lauren Gonzales of Duke University, who were involved with the recreation of ancient monkey brain using Micro CT scans. Images were obtained by means of high-resolution X-Ray imaging…

Ever yearned for running into a real life Manny? The wooly mammoth from the house of Blue Sky Studios was buffed with some arrant charm, that at least once in our lifetime would we have wished to meet the fluffy burly species in real. Thanks to powers of genetic engineering that we are not perching far from that being bloomed into a reality. Last week, Cell Reports published a study which expounded the genetic adaptations behind the species that saved their bacon to survive in the frigid environment of Arctic regions. But what’s rather interesting is that this is paving the way for…

Arctic animals have always been walking the tightrope in terms of population. The effect of global warming and climatic changes upon these animals is nothing new, and polar bears are a species that have been standing closer to the danger zone. Revelations of a new study are even more painful than we might have thought. Biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) say that the climatic change across the poles due to global warming has been causing further threats to these animals rather than just to the habitat. Besides the undesirable change of climate, these animals will also have to…

Why the UN’s Top Climate Official Is Bullish on Business Christiana Figueres is a busy woman, as evidenced by her recent whirlwind day in San Francisco — from meeting to speech to lunch to interview to yet another speech. There’s good reason for the frenetic pace: As Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on […]

This Couple Spent Decades Building Their Own Self-Sustaining Island Talk about extreme green. Artists Wayne Adams and Catherine King spend their days completely immersed in nature – the Canadian couple lives off-the-grid on a floating sustainable island appropriately named Freedom Cove. King and Adams say that the Cove, cast on Cypress Bay in Tofino, British […]

💧 If you think deeply about green interior design and traditional interior design you come to the conclusion that the difference between the two disciplines is connected to consumerism. Under older models of economics only natural resources such as timber, oil, food etc. that we used had a commercial value and ‘nature’ had no value […]

Reiner Pilz first used the term ‘upcycle’ in 1994. He neatly pointed out that there are two types of recycling – upcycling and downcycling. Most of recycling is confined to downcycling. This is when unwanted items are melted or crushed down or otherwise treated to make a resource that is of less value. Recycling aluminum […]

Sustainable design is also known as environmental design, environmentally sustainable design, ecodesign and environmentally conscious design. It is underpinned by a philosophy of designing products, buildings and services that comply with principles of social, economic and ecological sustainability. Green interior design is very much part of the wider movement of sustainable design. Green interior design […]

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Transportation Alternatives, IndiaRide-hailing service Uber has announced a $1 billion investment for the Indian market for the next nine months as it hopes to expand services and products.Continue reading Report: Ride-hailing service Uber to put $1 billion in IndiaReport: Ride-hailing service Uber to put $1 billion in India originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Aug 2015 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Green, BMW, Technology, Hatchback, Electric, HybridApple and BMW may eventually have more in common than just some features in your car's infotainment system. Sources for both Reuters and Manager Magazin understand that the two companies have had "exploratory talks."Continue reading Apple and BMW have been exploring partnerships on carsApple and BMW have been exploring partnerships on cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Aug 2015 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Green, BMW, Emerging Technologies, Technology, Hatchback, ElectricA hundred BMW i3 owners in California are receiving $1,000 to take part in a pilot program to delay charging their EVs during peak hours. At the end of the 18-month test, even more money could be on the way to them.Continue reading BMW i3 owners in California get $1,000 to delay chargingBMW i3 owners in California get $1,000 to delay charging originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Aug 2015 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Green, Nissan, Crossover, Hatchback, Electric, FutureNissan EVP Trevor Mann says that the company hasn't ruled out more body styles for the Nissan Leaf, but the decision doesn't look like it will come soon.Continue reading Will next-gen Nissan Leaf get CUV version?Will next-gen Nissan Leaf get CUV version? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Aug 2015 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Green, United States, HydrogenUS DOT may build the world's largest hydrogen refueling station in the City by the Bay.Continue reading World's largest hydrogen station coming to San FranciscoWorld's largest hydrogen station coming to San Francisco originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Jul 2015 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

A new way of building roads with recycled plastic is being developed by Dutch company KWS Infra. As a resident of Michigan, where the combination of hard northern winters and a legislature that refuses to do its job have led to a statewide condition with many roads in embarrassingly bad shape, this hits close to home. The plastic roads are claimed to offer a number of advantages that make this a potentially revolutionary technology. The proposed system is going to use “100% recycled materials” according to the company. If plastic-based roads can serve to make a use for more…

Scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a coating for glass that is superhydrophobic, making it so that it will literally bounce water off the surface. This coating also decreases the amount of light that reflects away from the glass. The benefits for solar collectors are immediately evident. The ability to be self-cleaning would be an enormous benefit for solar panels, even without the additional conversion efficiency benefits. Although many of the best locations for solar panel farms are in dusty desert climates with very little rainfall, even there, the ability to…

Earlier this week, the Solar Impulse aircraft took off from Abu Dhabi on the first leg of it’s atempt to fly around the globe entirely on solar power. We’ve been especially interested in this project from its beginnings as it has moved along setting new records, and we will now be watching as they make this trip around the world. Pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg will not fly non-stop (which Picard did in 1999 in the Breitling Orbiter 3, completing the first non-stop trip around the world by balloon), but will fly a number of legs over several months. The adventure is…

Sensors are the next step needed on the road to developing smarter buildings, and a new, very-low power device has been developed to allow information about window to be transmitted to a control system for a building without a need for extra building wiring or power supply. The sensors are self-powered by the sun through a tiny solar cell on top of the unit. The sensors, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute, are small enough to fit inside the gap between the two panes of a typical double-pane window. The solar cell itself and the sensor electronics and transmitter are so small that they sit…

One thing we’ve looked for in our annual coverage of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is the attention paid to green cars. Over the past few years, we’ve noted that environmental concerns have diminished year to year. Part of this is due to those concerns going mainstream and being incorporated into manufacturers’ whole lines, to a greater or lesser extent. But the days of having a “green flagship” are pretty much over. This year’s five finalists for Green Car of the Year were: Audi A3 TDI, BMW i3, Chevrolet Impala Bi-Fuel, Honda Fit, and…

French architect Jacques Rougerie has envisioned a giant floating city which bears a striking resemblance to a manta ray. He discusses his love for the ocean in an interview, where he calls himself a “mérien,” a term he coined which translates to “one belonging to the sea.” His dream is for likeminded individuals to populate his City of Mériens, to conduct research on the surrounding ocean. Read the rest of Fascinating floating city shaped like a manta ray would be 100% self-sustaining

In India, the suicide rate among farmers is an alarming 47 percent higher than workers in other sectors, and the figures continue to rise year after year. Environmental activists are blaming the deaths on Monsanto, the multinational corporation that has the market cornered on the insecticide-infused crop known as Bt Cotton. The genetically modified cotton contains Bacillus thuringiensis bacterium, from which it gets its name, and Monsanto‘s fierce restrictions concerning the saving and selling of seeds has put an enormous stress on farmers. Read on to learn more about the controversy…

Technically Incorrect: Americans reveal themselves to be neurotic about back-to-school online shopping, according to a new survey. But many will be buying laptops, phones or tablets for their little ones.

Last year, I received the following email from blog reader Melliny: Hi…I recently began converting plastic to glass in my kitchen. It has been such an exciting experience to me that I took photos along the way to inspire my family to hopefully do the same…. The fact is that storing good food in glass is very beautiful, which is inspiring. Please enjoy these gorgeous images, as well as Melliny’s explanation of how she stores fruits and vegetables in glass in her refrigerator. At the end, I’ve added a few of my own ideas. I got rid of the “vegetable bins” in…

My new favorite thing this summer is making tomato sauce from scratch using fresh tomatoes and my toaster oven. Why would I need to do that when it’s easy to buy tomato sauce in glass jars? Well, several reasons. First, even plastic-free packaging like glass has an environmental footprint. (I’ll write more about that in my next post.) I’d rather avoid most kinds of packaging (especially when the homemade alternative is as simple as this one is.) And second, homemade tomato sauce from fresh summer tomatoes is delicious. In fact, it’s so good, I sometimes…

I don’t chew gum, but Michael does, as did legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager (maybe he still does.) But if you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that most chewing gum (even “natural” Glee Gum) either contains plastic as an ingredient in the gum base or is packaged in plastic. For a while, English company Peppersmith offered a plastic-free gum in plastic-free packaging. Sadly, the company switched to a synthetic gum base last year, much to the dismay of many of its loyal customers, if the comments in this post are any indication. Simply Gum came…

Since writing my book Plastic-Free, I’ve had multiple requests for a condensed version with just the basics for getting started. My answer is usually, “Great idea. How about you write it?” Because seriously, we need as many plastic-free voices in the media as possible. And to be honest, I get tired of hearing my own voice. Well, now someone else gone and written the shorter guide that people have been clamoring for. What’s Included In her new, brightly illustrated digital ebook That’s a Wrap, just in time for Plasticfree July, Australian blogger Lindsay…

Do you have a hard time letting go of things because they might be useful one day? Are you reluctant to give away your old plastic kitchenware for fear that someone else will be harmed by it? Or that they won’t dispose of it properly when they’re done with it? Do you resist tossing things into the recycle bin because you know the truth about what happens to most of our plastic recycling, and it’s not pretty? Do you feel compelled to bring home items left on the street even if you have no immediate use for them? Are you turning your own home into a landfill? The plastic in…

A product water footprinting program by the Carbon Trust is seeking businesses to pilot the new certification and labeling scheme. The scheme will help businesses to demonstrate their water management leadership by certifying the life cycle water use of their products to an international standard, the Carbon Trust says. The businesses will be able to […]

Statoil has joined the Environmental Defense Fund’s Methane Detectors Challenge — a collaboration between oil and natural gas companies, technology developers, environmental groups and government and academic advisors that aims to identify and bring to market new technologies that will help reduce methane emissions from oil and natural gas operations. EDF says methane emissions present an economic […]

IBM recycled, reused or resold almost 97 percent of the end-of-life products it collected for processing last year, according to the tech giant’s 25th annual corporate sustainability report. In its other waste and recycling accomplishments, IBM sent 86 percent of the nonhazardous waste it generated worldwide in 2014 to be recycled, and purchased recycled plastics […]

Advanced Burner Technologies (ABUTEC) and its partner engineered, designed and fabricated a biogas conditioning system to help DC Water in Washington DC remove siloxanes from its digester gas stream, Forester Daily News reports. When DC water was in the process of installing a combined heat and power facility, it found a problem in removing siloxanes […]

Outdoor marijuana growth is a waste of water, say Sacramento County supervisors, and this means higher fines for pot growers. The Sacramento Bee reports the supervisors two weeks ago moved to categorize using water for outdoor marijuana cultivation as a waste of water. Pot growers could face fines of up to $500 per day. California […]

NRG Energy has launched Power Behind the Plug, an evocative 90-second film and campaign that seeks to illustrate how people react when they actually take a moment to think about where their power comes from. The goal of the film and campaign is to encourage every American to actively and consciously think about energy, how electricity is generated and their energy choices. The film, created with partner Droga5, is one of several ways that NRG aims to help educate businesses and consumers in making smarter choices along the path to a clean energy future.“People today — especially in the…

In an unprecedented show of business support for tackling climate change, 365 companies and investor groups sent letters today to more than two dozen governors across the United States voicing their support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan for existing power plants and encouraging the state’s “timely finalization” of state implementation plans to meet the new standards.The letter, organized by sustainability advocacy group Ceres, comes just days before the expected finalization of the rule aimed at reducing U.S. power plant carbon pollution by 30 percent by…

Google and environmental sensor networks firm Aclima announced this week that they have partnered to map and better understand urban air quality.Three Google Street View cars equipped with Aclima’s mobile sensing platform took measurements of nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, black carbon, particulate matter, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) — air pollutants which can affect human health or climate change.The vehicles performed a month-long system test in the Denver metro area during the DISCOVER-AQ study conducted by NASA and the U.S.

At SB ’15 San Diego last month, chemical giant BASF and sustainability software and consulting company thinkstep announced their collaboration in making BASF’s Sustainable Solution SteeringTM method (SSS) — for management of, and transition to, a sustainable product portfolio — available for wider use. The two organizations have signed a licensing agreement that extends their existing partnership to support companies in any industry in assessing and steering their product portfolio in line with sustainability criteria.The goal of BASF’s Sustainable Solution Steering method…

Capping a decade of success employing people with criminal backgrounds and upending expectations in the bread category, Dave’s Killer Bread (DKB) this week launched the newly formed Dave’s Killer Bread Foundation. Powering what it calls “Second Chance Employment,” the Foundation will work to expand employment opportunities for people with criminal backgrounds, which make up 1 in 3 of Dave’s Killer Bread’s more than 300 employee partners. To thank fans who have taken the company from the Portland Farmers Market to national distribution in 10 years, Dave’s Killer Bread is giving…

Can an ongoing program of consumer education on the importance & benefits of recycling increase rates? At least one expert thinks it's key The post The Waste Biz: Consumer Education Key To Raising Recycling Rate appeared first on Sustainablog.

Got a plastic bottle in the recycling bin? Than you've got the main thing you need for this DIY cellphone charging cradle - check out our tutorial The post Easy Upcycling: Turn A Plastic Bottle Into A Cellphone Charging Cradle appeared first on Sustainablog.

Startup FoPo Food Powder addresses the issue of food waste by collecting nearly expired fruits, and freeze drying it into a powder with a long shelf life The post Startup FoPo Food Powders Freeze Dries Nearly Expired Fruit, Hopes To Lessen Food Waste appeared first on Sustainablog.

Sure, you can recycle them, but why reuse plastic bottles to make things you can use around the house: from planters of all kinds to furniture and boats! The post How To Reuse Plastic Bottles: 13 Plans And Ideas appeared first on Sustainablog.

The First Lego League is challenging teams of kids from around the world to figure out techie solutions to waste with its year-long Trash Trek event The post First Lego League Challenges Kids To Find Techie Solutions To Waste appeared first on Sustainablog.

According to latest National Immunization Survey, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Thursday, around 60 percent of teenage girls and 78 percent of teenage boys haven't received all three of the recommended doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which helps prevent reproductive cancers and genital warts caused by the virus. Administered through three shots over a six month period, the vaccine protects against the most common types of the highly contagious virus, which is spread through sexual contact. Health officials recommend that adolescents receive the…

Update 7/31/15: Thursday evening, Shell's MSV Fennica made another attempt to pass through protestors on Portland's Willamette River. This time, the icebreaker was successful; the Fennica is now on its way back up to the Arctic. The video below shows the dramatic confrontation between the ship and the environmental activists: Environmental activists have taken to kayak, chain, and even rocking chair to slow down Royal Dutch Shell's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic this summer. For the past two days, they took their protest to a new extreme. Early Wednesday morning, around a dozen…

Developers in the booming San Francisco Bay Area are busy planning everything from much-needed new housing to sports stadiums and gleaming tech campuses. But according to a new report just published by the San Francisco Public Press, many of these construction projects sit on land susceptible to rising waters due to climate change. And regulators and local governments are not doing much to prepare. The Public Press found 27 major commercial and residential developments that will be vulnerable to flooding if San Francisco Bay sea levels rise as much as climate researchers like the…

It's late summer, and Americans are flocking to the country's national parks for some recreation and fresh air. But a study released this week by the National Parks Conservation Association found that air in some of the country's most popular parks is not so fresh—and it's potentially hazardous. The report rated the country's 48 parks in three categories: levels of ozone (a pollutant that can irritate or damage lungs), haziness, and the impacts of climate change on the park. Here are the 12 worst contenders (full list available here): National Parks Conservation Association Ozone is a…

When the popular news quiz show Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! hosted the country's Surgeon General, Vicek Murthy, last weekend, he was confronted with the question: What's your one weakness? "Sweets," he answered, "I like bread pudding and cheesecake, in particular." Many of us can identify with the hankering for the occasional piece of cheesecake after dinner. But lots of the added sugar you inhale probably doesn't come in the form of dessert. Rather, Americans get much of their sweetening in the form of beverages—especially soda—and packaged foods that at first glance seem snacky…

The U.S. EPA is expected to release the highly anticipated Clean Power Plan next week. According to reports, the rule could be released as early as Monday, August 3. The regulation will require the U.S. power sector to achieve deep emissions cuts, a pursuit that has received strong praise from environmentalists and stakeholders in the cleantech industry. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, renewable energy will see accelerated deployment under the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The plan has also come under assault from Republican lawmakers in coal-heavy states, who contend that…

America’s solar industry is wringing all possible efficiencies out of the project development process ahead of the 2016 federal Investment Tax Credit expiration. But are we missing an obvious hurdle? Reliable project production estimates -- predicting how much electricity photovoltaic systems will produce annually -- are critical because they determine developer, seller and customer value. But what should be a simple process of estimating and agreeing upon production often turns into a frustrating and time-consuming “production estimate arm-wrestle” conflict during…

For a few hours last weekend, on July 25, renewables accounted for 78 percent of Germany's power consumption -- surpassing the old record of 74 percent. The new generation record was enabled by a combination of strong winds in the north, where most of Germany's wind turbines are installed, and sunny conditions in the south, where Germany has installed most of its solar. That's according to Craig Morris, an expert who writes about the country's energy transition. The figures are preliminary. But assuming they're correct, solar and wind will have produced 40.65…

The ability to track and respond to real-time grid power prices is being programmed into a growing number of grid-edge devices, such as electric-vehicle chargers, smart thermostats and appliances, and behind-the-meter battery control systems. But there’s the price of grid electricity, and then there’s the greenhouse gas emissions profile of grid electricity -- and the two are not always the same. That’s a problem for anyone hoping to turn smart devices to the specific task of greening the grid, at least in a verifiable way. But with the right mix of grid data and emissions…

The Plain Dealer: FirstEnergy Wants Ohio to End Deregulation, Return to State-Controlled Rates FirstEnergy Corp. wants Ohio to re-regulate the electric utility industry, hoping to end an era the company itself fought for just seven years ago, in which electricity rates were set by wholesale markets without interference from the state. "I would do it in a heartbeat," said Chuck Jones, CEO since January, in an interview with The Plain Dealer's editorial board. "I think it makes sense. I am trying to save a company." Jones said FirstEnergy's future is at risk if it…

If we look behind the scenes of some of our favorite movies and TV programs today, we just might see the power of Dell technology at work. From Hollywood big screens to the smaller screens of Google Play and iTunes, it’s great to see Dell is behind some of today’s most popular on-screen creatures, in particular. HBO’s hit TV series “Game of Thrones” has followed Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons from newly hatched creatures to fire-breathing giants. While enormous and powerful on screen, the complexity of these dragons is nothing compared to the technology…

Recently, I attended the seventh annual Cloud World Forum in London, and was struck by how wide and varied the cloud ecosystem has become. Touted as the only show to enable the digital enterprise through cloud and DevOps, there were sessions on just about everything cloud related, from building businesses in the cloud and the Internet of Things (IoT) to big data analytics, cyber & cloud security, data governance and more. According to IDC’s latest assessment of the market, cloud IT infrastructure grew by 25 percent year-over-year, compared to traditional IT infrastructure, which…

In most industries today, technology is seen as a driver of human potential, making businesses and their employees smarter, faster, and more effective. This means constantly adapting to new tech, which is introduced and implemented at increasingly breakneck speeds. But until recently, the commercial building management industry measured technology shifts (think HVAC and utilities) not in months but in decades, as innovation stalled and companies held onto traditional infrastructure and operating models. Now, recognizing the sky-high volumes of energy and utility waste their buildings create…

It’s here! Windows 10 has officially launched, six months after we first shared how Dell was preparing to enter the next era with Microsoft, and just a bit over a month from when we started taking pre-orders, and one day after we actually started shipping Windows 10-installed devices! “With Windows 10, we’ve been working hand-in-hand with our partners for many, many months,” Microsoft’s Windows team recently said on their blog. “Together, we want to deliver Windows 10 to people and organizations around the world – whether as a free upgrade to genuine…

With more than 500 Dell channel partners, press, and analysts attending, Dell Security Peak Performance 2015 conference in Las Vegas, August 30 through Sept. 2 will exceed your expectations. This premier partner event at the Aria offers attendees not only knowledge but power: focused on Dell SonicWALL network security, mobile and email solutions, Dell Security Peak Performance 2015 will be unforgettable. The conference will unveil new security opportunities and solutions for security channel partners to achieve an average 40 percent increase in revenue as a result of insights gained,…

Hopefully in the future, when we get more adept at taking apart, reassembling, and changing DNA sequences, we can alter the octopus to live a bit longer…among a few other things. I would love to see how they’d develop as a parallel intelligent species.

Once again Trebbe transects the ugly with the artful. In that mysterious place at the center emerge rays of light, love and laughter! As I am in the midst of reading Russell Brand’s book, ‘Revolution’, with its preposterous and outraged humor, it occurs to me to invite the permitting members of FERC ( Federal Energy Regulatory Agency) the fracking industry CEOs, and all their Stockholders to a picnic on the pad. Complete with wine, celebrities, media (which of course would be there anyway, to serve the Masters) and perhaps a special tantric yoga teacher to adjust the…

It’s hard to look lonely in a road trip movie. The End of the Tour, a new film from director James Ponsoldt, recreates the final leg of the rockstar-like tour David Foster Wallace undertook in 1996 to promote his novel Infinite Jest. The novel, his breakthrough success f

Rick Perry has as much of a chance to win the Republican presidential nomination as Bobby Jindal, George Pataki, and Jim Gilmore—which is to say not much of one. Nevertheless, his speech on Wall Street reform this week at the Yale Club in N

A group of innovative thinkers from India and East Africa joined the SAP Social Entrepreneur Fellowship program in Silicon Valley earlier this month. The CEOs represent social enterprises working in agriculture, education, energy, health care, and water and sanitation. This week we learned more about these innovative thought leaders. Read on to be inspired.

Waste Management sustainability services is proof that sustainability pays. Since 2003, the company has delivered more than 157 million in direct cost-savings to customers. It works across all industries to turn waste, a traditional cost center, into solutions that benefit businesses, their customers and the environment.

Amazon announced earlier this week that its Dash buttons are available now for all of its Amazon Prime members. For $4.99, members can buy a button connected to a specific brand and use it to reorder products of that brand. The Dash mantra is as simple as the service: Just press and never run out. But before you start daydreaming of an effortless future, where smart devices make your life so much easier, I’d like you to ask yourself – is this utopia or dystopia?

A recently published Harvard Business School survey found that not only were daughters of working women more likely to be employed themselves, but they were also more likely to earn more. Sons of working mothers actually tended to become more attentive fathers, spending 7.5 hours a week more with their children and 25 minutes more on chores.

The localization of marketing leaves other forms of marketing in the past “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it’s been.” Gretzky’s well-known quote is one of the most abused business clichés, but that’s because (a) business people love sports analogies and (b) it so perfectly captures the essence of vision. Vision is the ability to connect the dots of the past and project into the future with the precision of Gretzky skating to a puck. The vision for MomentFeed in 2010 was for a platform that could handle the marketing paradigm of 2015, a…

The cutting edge in cycling technology is on display at the world’s greatest bike race The Tour de France, which kicked off on July 4th, is arguably the most significant sporting event of any year that doesn’t include World Cup soccer. This year’s Tour, the 102nd annual, covers 3,360 kilometers over 21 stages and is ridden by 198 of the world’s top athletes representing 22 teams and 31 different countries. It’s big. And it’s brutal. One aspect of cycling that sets it apart from other sports is the unique role equipment plays. The bikes are every…

All brands need to prepare for the localization of marketing…or get left behind It’s late 2009. Foursquare and Gowalla are the rage among the technorati. Social navigation app Waze is just getting traction. Twitter acquires GeoAPI, a startup specializing in location technology, and the tech blogs are buzzing about the promise of geolocation — about the idea that location-aware mobile devices will revolutionize how consumers and brands interact in the physical world. This is the dawn of the modern mobile era — an era defined by iOS and Android devices and by…

GURU takes the science of bike fitting to the nth degree The world runs on data. It can be qualitative or quantitative. It can provide insights, information, and direction. It can change industries or lead to scientific breakthroughs. On a day-to-day basis, the decisions we make in our professional and personal lives are being driven more and more by data. At MomentFeed, which is a SaaS (software-as-a-service) company, we consume and leverage data in everything we do, from sales and marketing to customer retention, product development, hiring, and fundraising. Why? Because we have to.

The tropical paradise on Mexico’s Pacific coast that’s not Puerto Vallarta or Acapulco When I think of an authentic Mexican getaway, I immediately start with the food: fresh ceviche, guacamole, and fish tacos. When I think of an ideal beach vacation, I think of a tropical climate with warm water, coconut palm trees, and soft sand. And when I think of great service, I think of raising a flag on my beachside palapa to signal I’m ready for another margarita and having it delivered moments later. But there’s only one place I know that has all three: Zihuatenejo.

Summer in Vermont is a beautiful thing. Like many of you, I have been spending plenty of time in the real world, away from computers and the interwebs. I have checked during the evenings and bring you tonight a roundup of recent environmental and parenting news. First, I wanted to point out a guest post I did over at Edutopia (a fabulous education and parenting website and organization). It is called 7 Lessons for Teachers (and Parents) from Dumbledore. I’m reading Harry Potter aloud to my daughters and find that many of Dumbledore’s quotes, messages and ways of being share…

Daintry Jensen’s The Hidden Forest is a gem of a summer (or anytime, really) read. This whimsical book presents a spirited heroine in Adelaide. She is an adventurer, a wanderer, a girl with big dreams. We find her resigned to a boring summer in Nantucket only to discover a world waiting for her beyond anything she and her little brother could have imagined. There is also much more to her seemingly sleepy grandparents than you would expect. This book shares lovely little nuggets of truth like this: “Good heavens, you’re not going to give up so easily, are you? I must tell you that I know…

Almost summer! Pure joy! Beaches, lakes, swings, picnics– but oh, the dreaded task of applying sunscreen to small children. Even reminding older children. All of it is HARD. It’s sticky. White, clumpy, and you have to RE-APPLY it. Really, I mean, shouldn’t once be enough? So, it’s important to have the right stuff on hand. There are several chemicals of concern in mainstream sunscreen. These are the ones we should avoid: And thankfully, EWG has a new sunscreen guide that shares the safest ones out there. You can find it here. Here are some of my picks for safer…

Have a new reader at your house? Someone itching to read a chapter book but still developing the skills to do so? My fellow Vermonter and author Doug Wilhelm and his sister Sarah have answer for you. Treasure Town is delightful story about curious kids, silly explorers, and missing treasure. My two daughters loved the maps, illustrations, unique vocabulary in the glossary, and humor in this book. The text is lively and engaging alone– without the incredible illustrations. This fills a much needed gap for kids who want to read chapter books but are still early readers. If you have a…

I just had to post this helpful infographic. It shows the major sources of indoor air pollution and how we can take steps to reduce it in our homes. I’m hoping the image of the dust mite will motivate me to wash everyone’s sheets and vacuum more often (a girl can dream, right?). Also, this validates the idea that we should be reducing the non-stick coatings we use in the kitchen. Air Filter Buy Is this motivating for you? How to you limit indoor air pollution? This is a sponsored post by our friends at Airfilterbuy.com. I hope you find it helpful– I sure did. Now, where is…

Queen Composter wonders what all the stink is about with body odour.Over the past few years I have been striving to eliminate as much unnecessary plastic and toxic ingredients from my personal care products. The end result is that my washroom is starting to resemble my kitchen because of the ingredients that are essential to my daily routine. My counter is lined with homemade products with coconut oil, body butters, cider vinegar, baking soda, honey, essential oils and salts. Because I make many of my own products now, I often have to store them in my refrigerator because they do not contain…

Another oil spill and Mindful Echo is furious. The media is reporting that Nexen Energy's pipeline ruptured sometime between June 29th and July 15th. The spill resulted in 5 million litres of heavy crude, or, 31,500 barrels. The double-layered steel pipe was only 8 months old and Nexen Energy has yet to provide an explanation or any other information beyond a feeble "apology." Watch the video report below: But how? How does this happen? You have a warning system to specifically prevent this from happening! Nexen Energy isn't sure yet and it could be months before the public is…

The Climate Crusader discovers that sometimes less is more.Almost 10 years ago I stopped buying face wash. I had read about somebody's experience with using raw honey as a face wash. I was annoyed by all the skincare products that made big promises but didn't deliver. I had sensitive, combination skin, oily in some places and dry in others and prone to breakouts. I had nothing to lose, I decided, so I tried it as an experiment and it worked. I wrote about it here in 2011. Interestingly, I'm not the only Boother who has given it a spin. Here's another post from 2013.Was honey a miracle cure…

From the bean of Green Bean."Wait, where did you see a beetle?" a voice floats back to me, across the dusty trail."I still haven't found any cottonwood," my youngest niece intones. "I'll show you where to look," her older cousin offers, leading her to look down the hill and pointing toward the river. "They seem to grow more down there," he surmises.We are on a hike. A very hot and very uphill hike. The scenery is beautiful but I would be lying if I said that these kids wanted to be here. At least initially. Until I whipped out a homemade scavenger hunt and offered a prize for all who…

A hot, dry summer and a hazy, smoky sky have got the Climate Crusader thinking about water.Yesterday evening, as I was making the 45 minute drive home after dinner with my in-laws, the air was filled with hazy smoke. There are wildfires burning nearby, following a hot, dry June and even hotter, dryer start to July. Here in the Pacific Northwest we're more known for our 'liquid sunshine' (a.k.a. rain) than actual sunshine, but so far 2015 has proven an exception. We're parched. And local government is responding by increasing water use restrictions. No surprise.Many people are far more…

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Every year I battle the squash vine borer. I must lose a couple of pumpkins and squashes every year. Luckily I have saved my zucchinis by cutting out the worm. Last year, I wrote about how to be pro-actively prevent them from laying their eggs. (Read HERE.) If any of my methods don’t work, you have to don your doctor hat and do some corrective surgery. Remove the squash vine borer worm. Be sure to watch the video below. No, you won’t faint. No blood here. Just a nasty dark headed white worm. How do I know if I should worry? #1 You spot a red and black wasp look…

Invitations to my scrumptious garden buffet go out early to every bug and animal in town. Now, if I could just figure out who is the pest party coordinator I could save myself some headaches. Alas, I have yet to track him or her down. Over the years, I have tried a variety of methods to thwart the destruction of my garden. Some have failed while others have worked quite well. If pests are bugging you, then here are some solutions to keep them at bay. #1–A Blast of Water Sometimes, a blast of with water gets rids of pests like whiteflies and aphids. However, you have…

This was my first year of growing damask roses. In the past, I grew double knock out roses which were hardy and simply laughed at the pests and the elements. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of insects that adore Damask roses. I watched in horror as sawflies and spider mites attacked the plants, I got busy making a nontoxic garden bug spray to send a message that they were not welcome. Now, this spray is my new weapon against general pest problems. It can be yours too! (Note, this spray will not control sawfly larvae. Neem or light horticultural oil will.) Homemade Pest…

Welcome guest poster, mystery author Deirdre Vern: Here’s what I love about Anna of Green Talk. Anna is a thinker and a doer. No small task when it comes to living green. As for me, I’m a thinker. I aspire to be green, but I leave the heavy lifting to my alter-ego, CeCe Prentice, the main character in my mystery book, “Drawing Conclusions (A Sketch in Crime Mystery).” That is, until I got caught on a self-sustaining, hydroponic barge floating along the Hudson River during a hail storm. I’m a mystery writer and about ten years ago I decided I wanted to learn through…

There is nothing like fresh mint. But add it your garden beds and wish you died 1000 deaths before trying to get rid of it. Mint spreads faster than butter. Before you know it your whole garden bed has been taken over unless you know how to keep it in check. Learn the right way, not the wrong way how to plant mint. You will thank me later. All Begins Innocently. Mint is quite demur at first. It doesn’t spread much the first year. By the second year, it starts to warm up and spreads about 18 inches. See the picture below of my chocolate mint. Last year it was merely a…

You’ve decided that the annual trip will be a cruise this year; but with so many options out there and all of the cruise lines advertising their vacation packages, how are you supposed to know which ship is going to be the best? Are you looking for a family friendly ship? A ship with green… Read more The post Green Cruise Lines ~ Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Go Green Travel Green.

Through my childhood, in the 70s and 80s, and even through the 1990’s, my sister and I would joke how my father always chose made in America products. When we asked for gift suggestions for his birthday, Father’s Day and other holidays, he would always make sure to note “make sure it is made in America.”… Read more The post Made in America Products ~ Why Choose Them appeared first on Go Green Travel Green.

Many cruise lines and cruise companies are going green. The name Disney has been a trusted household name for years, especially when it comes to television and theater entertainment or the well-known theme parks; and now Disney has made an addition to its repertoire with cruise liners. In the late 1990s, Disney set sail with… Read more The post Disney Cruise Lines are Catching the Green Spirit appeared first on Go Green Travel Green.

Do you dread packing school lunches? I used to. I felt so wasteful using those plastic zip-locking bags, especially when I used up to five per lunch, per day. I’ve also used many different brands and sizes of plastic containers. These were okay sometimes but didn’t work all the time. I really wanted to remove all… Read more The post Stainless Steel Lunch Containers ~ Make Your Mornings Easier appeared first on Go Green Travel Green.

When a friend of mine told me they were looking for a small travel alarm clock to take with them on a backpacking trip my first thought was Why? When I go away I rely on my phone to get me up in the morning, so could not understand why they wanted a physical travel… Read more The post Why Modern Travelers Still Need Travel Alarm Clocks appeared first on Go Green Travel Green.

Walmart is turning it’s focus towards giving their employees even more opportunities! As a Walmart Mom, we often get insights into the company that much of the general public doesn’t always get to see. This is one of the reasons why I love being a part of this particular program. It is awesome to know more in depth about the companies that I support. This post is all about some of the amazing opportunities that Walmart is bringing to the table for their employees. A core driver of Sam Walton’s vision was exceeding customers’ expectations through an inspired, dedicated…

Summer is in full swing which means lots of outdoor activities! From exploring the local area or friends and family gatherings to all those DIY projects that you absolutely have to get done, there are a lot of ways to spend your time outdoors. This Summer has been a particularly hot one, so this has led to quite a few creative ways to cool off after being in the sun all day. Here are a few ways we like to chill out after a long, hot day! 1. I’ve stocked up on the 32oz Insulated Party Cups! These are big enough that I can sit and enjoy a drink before I have to get up again.

Back. To. School. Three words that no kid and even some parents don’t even want to hear at this point of their Summer vacation. Like it or not, it’s going to happen and you just have to be ready for it. Walmart is ready to help make Back to School shopping easy and fun! We went shopping for some new outfits for the girls at our local Walmart store and were very happy with the available options! I let my girls wander around their apparel section and pick out something that they would love for school. Thinking that since they had very different personalities, I was surprised when…

Being that it’s my girls’ birthday today, it’s only fitting that I am writing all about going all out for your kids’ birthday, but doing it on a budget! The last time us Walmart Moms got together, we had a fun time checking out all the fun themes that Walmart has for kid’s birthdays! Their licensed character selection is one of the largest I’ve seen in our area, and the things that they carry are so much fun! They have a great selection for both boys and girls, and they’re totally current on what’s cool now! While I didn’t get a photo of…

Dessert… It’s on everyone’s mind. It’s that need to tame your sweet tooth after a long day of hard work, and a delicious dinner. It could be as simple as a popsicle, or a piece of fruit… or it could be something even better… We love to use fresh fruit in our desserts, so when Walmart asked me to share a recipe using fresh fruit, I knew exactly which one I was going to share with you. I headed out to my local Walmart store to pick up everything I needed to make some Blueberry-Lemon Sweet Rolls. What You Need: FILLING 1 & 1/2 cups fresh blueberries…

Foraging. It’s a buzzword you'll soon start hearing everywhere, if you haven't already (foraged fiddleheads or ramps are on all the hip spring menus). It's also an ancient way of gathering food. “Foraging is not associated with Dumpster diving,” laughs Ava Chin, urban forager and author of "Eating Wildly," addressing a common misconception. "Yes, is it a kind of 'freeganism,' but no, I do not eat roadkill. Foraging is a way of learning about the edible plants that are all around us, whether in a city, a suburban yard, or a state park.” Nowhere near the wilderness? Ava…

Two items crossed my desk recently that were so fundamentally opposite in their visions of the future that it was enough to give a reader whiplash. The first was the 2012 book Abundance, the optimistic paen to entrepreneurs, inventors and Silicon Valley gazillionaires written by X-Prize founder Peter Diamandis and science journalist Steven Kotler. The authors claim that the exponential growth of technology will solve all the world's ills, and, "within a generation ... provide goods and services, once reserved for the wealthy few, to any and all who need them." Poo-burning toilets,…

With a massive heatwave underway here in South Carolina, I can’t help but daydream about fall and its cool-weather crops. It’s the only way to stay sane in the 100-plus degrees with what seems like 100-percent humidity. This hopeful thinking has me considering which types of cauliflower to include in the garden this year. The following are a short list of several cultivars that can add some interest to this often-overlooked vegetable. 1. Purple of Sicily Cauliflower Steph L/Flickr An Italian heirloom, Purple of Sicily cauliflower is known for its delicate mild flavor and gorgeous…

At a time when private school students take cafeteria kale for granted, Edible Schoolyard NYC is bringing the top of the food chain to the kids who need it most. I have officially drunk the Kale-Aid. In the 20 years since Alice Waters started her Edible Schoolyard Project in Berkeley, with the lofty goal of engaging students in gardening and cooking to “awaken their senses,” everything I heard or read provoked the reaction in me that I now see in so many friends: eyes rolling back, brain registering blah-blah-blah. The whole enterprise seemed so heirloom-tomato-pie in the sky, so…

Residents of Greece are so strapped for cash that they have returned to a primitive barter economy. Farmers, workers and even corporations have begun bartering because of a shortage of cash reminiscent of the Great Depression in the United States, Reutersreported. “It’s a nightmare,” cotton farmer Mimis Tsakanikas told the news service. “I owe many people money now – gas stations and firms that service machinery. I have to go to the bank every single day, and the money I can take out is not enough.” Average Greeks can only withdraw 420 Euros ($458.57 US) a week from banks because…

While tiny homes are all awesome, they do start to also look alike after awhile. So it’s really nice to see some of them designed in unique styles. The Lilypad is an example of a beautifully designed and furnished tiny house. The interior décor was inspired by traditional Moroccan and Indian style and the result is quite mesmerizing. The Lilypad measures 248 square feet, but it’s interior layout features cleverly spaced lofts, which make it possible to have an open central space with a full height ceiling. The reason why the owner Anita decided to downsize to a tiny home was so she could…

The Seasteading Institute along with several investors, are proposing the building of a floating city-state, which could serve a variety of purposes. For one, it could be used as a real life environment for trying out new models of government, as well as serve a host of other functions when it comes to preserving and bettering the world we live in. According to the Seasteading Institute, the creation of floating cities is the first step in fulfilling their “8 Great Moral Imperatives,” namely feeding the hungry, enriching the poor, curing the sick, cleaning the atmosphere,…

The company Sustainer Homes recently unveiled a shipping container home that can also be taken completely off-the-grid. According to the company, the main reason for constructing these homes was offering the younger generation a flexible and rent-free living option, which is becoming a must for many. The homes are also mobile and facilitate low-impact living. Sustainer homes are meant to be primary residences, though they can also easily be used as hotels, holiday accommodations or emergency shelters. They are available in various sizes, ideal for one to two people. The basic version measures…

As tiny mobile homes grow in popularity their design gets more and more imaginative too. Architects Kelly Davis and Dan George Dobrowolski have recently completed one such tiny home, which they called the Escape Traveler. This home is basically an RV, which means that it is exempt from standard building codes and zoning bylaws. The Escape Traveler weighs between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds, and rests on a 8′ 6″ wide trailer, which can be attached to a car, meaning it can easily be towed to just about anywhere. The home features a spacious living area with a fireplace and a sofa that…

MAD Architects have designed a new residential community in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, which will feature a large living façade. The housing development will be raised high above the street and is dubbed 8600 Wilshire. Its designers aim to bring nature back to this inner city neighborhood. Apart from the living wall façade, the complex will also have a large enclosed garden. The 8600 Wilshire development will span 25,900 sq ft (2,406 sq m) and the architects describe it as a sort of “hillside village.” On the street level, it will offer commercial space, and above this floor…

Save Time and Energy When cooking pasta, place your dry noodles in a pot of boiling water, then covering the pot and turning off the flame. Let the pasta sit in the hot water for a bit less time than package directions suggest if you prefer your pasta al dente. Or the exact directed time […]Check out the review @ Earth Friendly Cooking Tips

Violets Are Blue is a line of beauty products created without harsh synthetic fragrances, parabens, sodium laureth sulfate or propylene glycol. They also offer a secondary “Beloved Line” of fragrance free products specifically created by Cynthia Besteman, a breast cancer survivor. The Beloved Line gives “Chemo Care” packages to women who are beginning their treatment […]Check out the review @ Violets Are Blue Beloved Deodorant

My trip to Killer Vegan began all because of a Facebook post a friend was tagged in. Those in that post raved about this awesome new vegan place they had lunch at, that simple recommendation made me very interested to take a trip myself to try it. Located in Union, New Jersey – which isn’t […]Check out the review @ Killer Vegan Diner and Delicatessen

When I attended the NYC Green Festival in April I had the opportunity to stopped by the booth for Conscious Step to see what they were all about. They offer socks that are produced to “fight for causes that matter.” Each different sock pattern identifies that sock with a certain partnership with a non-profit to […]Check out the review @ Conscious Step Socks

I don’t have a very big sweet tooth, but the occasional sweet treat is always welcomed. Quality over quantity has always been my motto with most things in life and that most certainly applies for the food I eat. So I prefer a really great quality treat when I do have one and Charm School […]Check out the review @ Charm School Vegan Chocolate

Published on Cooking Up a Story In an effort to save the honeybees, a veteran researcher, Lynn Royce, looks at tree hive bees to uncover the clues that may help their populations Cooking Up a Story - An online television show about food and sustainable living

Published on Cooking Up a Story Marisa McClellan, of Food In Jars, talks about the canning process. High acid foods & the purpose of adding sugar. Cooking Up a Story - An online television show about food and sustainable living

Published on Cooking Up a Story An interview with Katrina Blair, author of The Wild Wisdom of Weeds talks about the 13 wild weeds she says are essential for human survival. Cooking Up a Story - An online television show about food and sustainable living

Published on Cooking Up a Story Gianaclis Caldwell, cheesemaker and author of The Small Scale Dairy and Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking talks about running a small scale dairy farm and how she became a cheesemaker. Cooking Up a Story - An online television show about food and sustainable living

Published on Cooking Up a Story In this interview with Langdon Cook, author of The Mushroom Hunters, we discuss his book and his first-hand encounters on the commercial wild mushroom trail. Cooking Up a Story - An online television show about food and sustainable living

President Obama will impose even steeper cuts on greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants than previously expected, White House officials said early Sunday, in what the president called the most significant step the country has ever taken to fight global warming.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein filed her long-awaited legislative response to California's water crisis on Wednesday, hoping to broker a compromise that has eluded Congress through four years of fallow fields and brown lawns.

Keep the sandbags handy. Previous flood assessments have underestimated the actual risk of dangerous floods in many parts of the country, according to a new study. By looking back at the historical weather records, researchers have found an important synergy between two flood risk factors in coastal...

Lean technology is technology for well-being and sustainability. The sustainability movement is often accused of being opposed to technology but the opposite is more true. Sustainability is tech-savvy and makes use of technology where it is appropriate to sustain a better, simpler way of life. It would be foolish to think all technology is bad and equally foolish to think […] The post Lean Technology appeared first on Econation.

The ideal business is small, simple and circular. Small Businesses get big for a number of reasons but those reasons are for one ultimate purpose, higher return on capital. Big businesses, however, do not enhance the well-being of people and planet as much as small businesses. There are some businesses that by their very nature need to be a large scale […] The post The ideal business appeared first on Econation.

The 80:20 principle is an extremely useful way of thinking about the vital few things that matter the most. It is not a mathematical formula and there is no hard and fast way to define it. The Principle predicts that, in many types of situations, a large majority of effects are due to a small proportion of causes. The actual figure […] The post The Vital Few appeared first on Econation.

Econation has launched a new visual identity and website that reflects an increasing emphasis on well-being – for both people and planet. Econation has long been an advocate and independent source of information about environmental sustainability. Econation’s main premise is that what is best for the planet is also best for people. Econation presents a new type of prosperity that isn’t […] The post Econation launches new brand appeared first on Econation.

French architect Jacques Rougerie has envisioned a giant floating city which bears a striking resemblance to a manta ray. He discusses his love for the ocean in an interview, where he calls himself a “mérien,” a term he coined which translates to “one belonging to the sea.” His dream is for likeminded individuals to populate his City of Mériens, to conduct research on the surrounding ocean. Read the rest of Fascinating floating city shaped like a manta ray would be 100% self-sustaining

In India, the suicide rate among farmers is an alarming 47 percent higher than workers in other sectors, and the figures continue to rise year after year. Environmental activists are blaming the deaths on Monsanto, the multinational corporation that has the market cornered on the insecticide-infused crop known as Bt Cotton. The genetically modified cotton contains Bacillus thuringiensis bacterium, from which it gets its name, and Monsanto‘s fierce restrictions concerning the saving and selling of seeds has put an enormous stress on farmers. Read on to learn more about the controversy…

Running a more efficient and greener business comes with numerous benefits. Being aware of your environmental impact as a business and putting in adequate effort to reduce it can help reduce costs and increase your appeal to a consumer market that is more environmentally arware than ever. Running a greener business today is one way to pull ahead of rivals regardless of sector. Here is a look at some steps you can take to ensure you are running a more efficient and greener business. Cut down your carbon footprint Cutting down your carbon footprint encompasses several things like lowering your…

In 2012-2013 the recycling rate in England was around 43.9% compared to previous figures showing a recycling rate of 31% for 2006-2007. This positive trend implies that future results should be aligned with the 2020 European recycling target, stating that the UK needs to recycle at least 50% of the its produced waste. New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)’ May 2015 report indicates that from September 2013 to September 2014 the recycling rate was around 45%. One of the elements influencing positively those results concerns the increase in production of household compost…

Now is a better time than ever to start up a digital marketing company and there’s a good reason why. As time progresses, more and more people are getting hooked up to the world wide web and as a consequence of this, many people are looking to move their business out of the physical world and into the digital one. This opens up plenty of potential customers for a digital marketing company. So let’s say you take the dive and decide to start up your own online marketing business, how can you get it to stand out from the rest? Its 2015 for Greens Sake Well how about turning your business a…

Starting an online business is the dream of many people. However, in a space that is already crowded, it is often difficult to find a niche that doesn’t have far too many players already. One niche that is not yet saturated is the online eco business niche. As the days roll by, more individuals are becoming aware of the dangers of our actions on the ecosystem. A study done in the UK for example, says two thirds of shoppers are more ecologically aware than they were 10 years ago and more members of the public are becoming more concerned about the threats we pose to the environment. In the…

The amount of energy that is used by offices and other types of commercial buildings is staggering. This is why it is vital that the business world commits to energy efficiency. In so doing, they will reduce the tremendous environmental impact they have. At the same time, however, it actually improves the bottom line, which means the benefits are there not just for the world as a whole, but for the business in particular as well. When designing and eco-friendly office, there are many things to think about, including location, features, equipment, usage and more. It is vital to adopt…

As drones become cheaper and more technologically advanced, some cities, like Jakarta, are using drones to improve road and traffic safety in congested areas. (Photo: basibanget / Flickr) A few days ago (July 28-30), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) met in California to discuss the future of personal and commercial drone use. NASA’s eagerness to deliberate on drones comes as a response to rising drone use across the globe, with companies like Google and Amazon scrambling to figure out how they can use drones to deliver goods and survey areas. For example, Amazon…

To combat rising rates of private vehicle ownership and ensure a healthy, sustainable future for their citizens, Indian cities—like Jodhpur—need to focus on making bike share work for the local context. (Photo: Tomas Belcik / Flickr) Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS), or bike share, as it is more popularly known, was first introduced in Amsterdam in 1965. While the concept spread to various European cities, it remained largely experimental in nature and small in scale. It wasn’t until the late 1990s and early 2000s—with the incorporation of advanced smartcards and progress in Information…

With the upcoming United Nations Climate Conference, the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases are promising to double down on their efforts to reduce emissions. (Photo: Mariana Gil / WRI Brasil | EMBARQ Brasil) Though our planet is home to one hundred and ninety independent nations, the UN Climate Conference in Paris this December reminds us that all countries share a single, collective future. Indeed, in order to keep the global temperature rise from rising more than 2 ° C., all nations will have to agree on climate action. Therefore, the participation and commitment of all 190…

Good urban governance begins with open access to information. São Paulo, Brazil offers a number of lessons for making data accessible and encouraging public participation. (Photo: Gabi Sakamoto / Flickr) How do we make cities work for people? As a WRI Helms Fellow on Urban Governance and Sustainable Cities, Maria Antonia Tigre was tasked with answering this question. Through From ideas to implementation: making sustainable cities through governance here on TheCityFix, Maria will draw on her field research in two Brazilian cities—Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo—to explore the key governance…

It can often be difficult for residents–like those of Wuxi, China–to know how their homes perform compared to similar homes. Benchmarking fills this knowledge gap, helping the city improve building performance. Photo by Mr Thinktank / Flickr. Urban residents around the world have different daily routines, but they share something in common that often goes unappreciated. Let’s take the example of how a city dweller in China spends an average day: 8 hours of work activities 30 minutes of study or training, at home or school 1.5 hours eating meals, at home, work, or a restaurant 4…

According to PeopleForBikes, 31.5 percent of Washington D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare riders reported a reduction in stress levels. Meanwhile, Climate Central reports that Denver’s B-Cycle program is estimated to have avoided over 1 million pounds of CO2 emissions. It’s no longer necessary to own a bike or spend a small fortune renting one while on vacation. […] The post How Bike-Sharing Systems Are Revolutionizing Our Cities appeared first on The Chic Ecologist. Related posts: The 5 Best US Cities for Doing Green Business The Two Wheeled Drive – Project Bike Trip…

The beautiful coastline of Santa Barbara, California, is no stranger to oil spills. Still considered the largest oil spill to occur along California waters, the 1969 Santa Barbara spill devastated the marine habitat. Although smaller, the spring spill still prompted the governor of California to call for a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County. […] The post The 2015 Santa Barbara Oil Spill: 5 Ways to Get Involved appeared first on The Chic Ecologist. Related posts: The Gulf Oil Spill is Sad, But How Does It Affect Me? Gulf Oil Spill Disaster Earth Day 2011 Events and Ideas…

It’s estimated that 20 billion pairs of shoes are produced annually, with roughly 300 million pairs ending up in landfills after they have been worn. The Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, which usually makes up the midsole of most running shoes, can last for as long as 1,000 years in a landfill. There are a few organizations […] The post Waste from Shoes and Shoes from Waste appeared first on The Chic Ecologist. Related posts: Shoes that Biodegrade, even in a Landfill? Green Shoes – Stylish Eco-conscious Footwear Green Silence tonlé – Waste Free Ethical Fashion Reusable Mesh…

San Francisco is full of hidden garden oases and public patio gems thanks to a little known program promoting called POPOS or Privately Owned Public Open Spaces. That is, many highrise buildings in cities have public ‘parks’ or public space viewing areas in them. This can include observation decks, terraces, patios, roofs and viewing floors […] The post Secret Downtown San Francisco Urban Public Parks and Patios appeared first on The Chic Ecologist. Related posts: California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco Eco-Chic Shopping Event in San Francisco – Oct 23rd 2008…

Green business is big business, and more and more companies are adopting eco-friendly and sustainable practices. Here’s a roundup of five American cities leading the way in green business: Austin, Texas The Texas capitol boats more than 206 parks, 26 greenbelts, 12 preserves and more than 50 miles of trails. Not only does Austin offer […] The post The 5 Best US Cities for Doing Green Business appeared first on The Chic Ecologist. Related posts: Jobs and the Green MBA How Bike-Sharing Systems Are Revolutionizing Our Cities Go Green Seattle 2011 Conference Green MBA Programs Green…

Creativity Against Earth Overshoot: Opportunities for Our Planet The 13th August 2015 is auspicious for all the wrong reasons, the 13th August is Earth Overshoot Day. The approximate date when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year. We are in this ecological deficit by using up local resource stocks and pouring carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Earth Overshoot Day was reached by early October in 2000 and this year it is on 13th August. Today, humanity uses the equivalent of 1.6 planets-worth of natural resources as well as carbon dioxide absorption. Based…

Photography by Emir Eralp Not so Impossible: The economy of gift exchange Getting something for nothing is a concept well and truly fabled. Found only in the outer echelons of fairytale topia, it is an idea broken down and brutally kicked to the kerb during the often traumatic transition from teenage to adult-hood; a lesson learnt to prepare us for the often unfair and unkind reality awaiting us. Prepare to pull a U-turn. A year after model, actress and social entrepreneur Lily Cole launched new social network Impossible, the gift economy has reared its head and is here to stay. The…

“This is it” #Paris2015: Where to look In the run up to the ever crucial talks taking place in Paris this November, we wanted to get the inside track on the overly complex coverage that is littering the road to Paris (2015). At an attempt at clarity we bent the ear of Michael Mathres, World Climate LTD partner, and no stranger to the climate landscape. He has garnered over 14 years experience in the climate bizz, advising investors, governments and businesses on climate change issues and is ensconced in the Paris process. Don’t get left behind by not knowing and ensure that…

Use your Weapons of Reason Weapons of Reason is a magazine to turn knowledge into action. Its ultimate goal is to understand and articulate the interconnected issues shaping our world, and inspire its readers to take positive action. For its first issue, we start by exploring what’s happening at the top of the world, in the Arctic. As the ever looming shadow of climate change draws in, it is more important than ever that we get as many people as possible to fight back. 1. Where did the idea for Weapons of Reason come from? Our publisher Danny Miller, who founded Little White Lies…

Innocent Unplugged In a life where connectivity is paramount to everyday activities we are embracing the opportunity to head off the beaten track, to unplug and recharge. The ever brilliant brains at Innocent are offering respite at their annual festival with a difference, Innocent Unplugged. A festival for grown-ups in Kent with no wifi, no 3G and no traditional electricity. Any power required will be generated by festival goers with a little solar at the ready. So leave your phone at home. Forget about Facebook. Turn off Twitter. We’ll see you in the woods. If you haven’t…

Creativity Against Earth Overshoot: Opportunities for Our Planet The 13th August 2015 is auspicious for all the wrong reasons, the 13th August is Earth Overshoot Day. The approximate date when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year. We are in this ecological deficit by using up local resource stocks and pouring carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Earth Overshoot Day was reached by early October in 2000 and this year it is on 13th August. Today, humanity uses the equivalent of 1.6 planets-worth of natural resources as well as carbon dioxide absorption. Based…

Photography by Emir Eralp Not so Impossible: The economy of gift exchange Getting something for nothing is a concept well and truly fabled. Found only in the outer echelons of fairytale topia, it is an idea broken down and brutally kicked to the kerb during the often traumatic transition from teenage to adult-hood; a lesson learnt to prepare us for the often unfair and unkind reality awaiting us. Prepare to pull a U-turn. A year after model, actress and social entrepreneur Lily Cole launched new social network Impossible, the gift economy has reared its head and is here to stay. The…

“This is it” #Paris2015: Where to look In the run up to the ever crucial talks taking place in Paris this November, we wanted to get the inside track on the overly complex coverage that is littering the road to Paris (2015). At an attempt at clarity we bent the ear of Michael Mathres, World Climate LTD partner, and no stranger to the climate landscape. He has garnered over 14 years experience in the climate bizz, advising investors, governments and businesses on climate change issues and is ensconced in the Paris process. Don’t get left behind by not knowing and ensure that…

Use your Weapons of Reason Weapons of Reason is a magazine to turn knowledge into action. Its ultimate goal is to understand and articulate the interconnected issues shaping our world, and inspire its readers to take positive action. For its first issue, we start by exploring what’s happening at the top of the world, in the Arctic. As the ever looming shadow of climate change draws in, it is more important than ever that we get as many people as possible to fight back. 1. Where did the idea for Weapons of Reason come from? Our publisher Danny Miller, who founded Little White Lies…

Innocent Unplugged In a life where connectivity is paramount to everyday activities we are embracing the opportunity to head off the beaten track, to unplug and recharge. The ever brilliant brains at Innocent are offering respite at their annual festival with a difference, Innocent Unplugged. A festival for grown-ups in Kent with no wifi, no 3G and no traditional electricity. Any power required will be generated by festival goers with a little solar at the ready. So leave your phone at home. Forget about Facebook. Turn off Twitter. We’ll see you in the woods. If you haven’t…

Last Friday, the International Code Council and ASHRAE announced they signed an “agreement that the new version of the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), .. scheduled to be released in 2018, .. will be powered by” ASHRAE Standard 189.1 for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings. Much of the early reaction has been nonplussed given that, today, there are only a handful of IgCC green buildings. The ICC will still be responsible for IgCC Chapter 1, Scope and Administration, so that the green code will continue to be integrated into the ICC construction…

It was widely reported that the first green building litigation in the country was the 2007 trial court case of Southern Builders, Inc. v. Shaw Development, LLC, in the Circuit Court of Maryland for Somerset County, case no. 19-C-07-011405. In the spirit of Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” radio program, last week I telephoned Jim Shaw, of Shaw Development, to follow up, .. In the Southern Builders case, disputes and difference arose out of the construction of a $7.5 Million, 23 unit luxury condominium and restaurant project in Crisfield, Maryland, called…

This law firm is increasingly called upon to give legal opinions that a green building is LEED certified, certifiable or otherwise ‘really’ a green building. The purpose of a legal opinion given in a commercial real estate transaction is, most simply put, to provide some or all of the parties to the transaction with comfort regarding specified aspects of the transaction. One might ask why the need for an opinion from a lawyer that a building is green? While legal opinions are given in a variety of commercial contexts, they are increasingly being required as part of the due…

The City of Highland Park, Illinois, became the latest jurisdiction to consider bird friendly building regulations when on June 22, 2015 the City Council forwarded a proposal to the Plan Design Review Commission for comment prior to final approval by the Council. Specifically, the City Council is proposing that bird friendly regulations be adopted for commercial, industrial and multi-family buildings and that they follow requirements set forth in the LEED NC-2009 SS Pilot Credit 55 Bird Collision Deterrence. The Highland Park City Code already requires bird friendly building…

Against a backdrop of California experiencing the worst drought in its history and the U.S. Supreme Court having before it an interstate water dispute, where Florida seeks an equitable apportionment of the waters of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers over the claims of upstream Georgia, the issue of “who owns the rain” is of national importance. Collecting rain and using it for a desired purpose on one’s own property should no longer violate laws. And the government should not take the rain falling on private property without just compensation. In point of fact, laws…

Our daily bread. Breaking bread together. Bread and butter. These are all common phrases that reflect bread’s foundational role in our diet and in the building of our civilization. The stored energy of grain first allowed our ancestors to shift from nomadic hunting and gathering to building settled communities—even great cities. So why in an […]The post Inside the Rise of the Local Grains Movement appeared first on Blog.

The following is a guest post by Tao Orion, author of Beyond the War on Invasive Species. It is an open letter to the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding its proposal to add three new herbicides for invasive species management on western public lands. Find out below, how you can voice your concerns […]The post 3 Ways Spraying More Herbicides on Public Land is Bad appeared first on Blog.

Feel the Bern, now read the Bern. Chelsea Green is bringing out the first major book chronicling the issues being raised by US Senator Bernie Sanders in his campaign for president of the United States. The Essential Bernie Sanders and His Vision for America is the only book that outlines, in Sanders’ own words and […]The post Bern Baby Bern! appeared first on Blog.

Get ready to change the way you look at cheese. David Asher, author of The Art of Natural Cheesemaking, practices and preaches a traditional, but increasingly countercultural, way of making cheese—one that is natural and intuitive, grounded in ecological principles and biological science. Most DIY cheesemaking books are hard to follow and call for the […]The post An All-Natural, Traditional Approach to Cheesemaking appeared first on Blog.

Regardless of where you stand on the climate change issue, there’s one reality few can deny. During the summer, many places in North America are now regularly suffering temperatures above 100˚F, whereas they rarely did in the past. It’s also widely known that such high temperatures put heat stress on crops that are not very […]The post Arid Agriculture: How to Reduce Heat Stress in Crops and Livestock appeared first on Blog.

The most common question in the world of tyres is “How many kilometers can I get from my tyres?” There is no correct answer to this as the distance covered depends entirely on your driving style, quality of the tyre compound and the surfaces driven over, etc. Finding the Right Fit: If you’re looking for tyres in Australia, you should look at the more reputed retailers and dealership networks in the region. Getting professional help for fitting is also recommended, since it reduces the chances of accidental damage. Even if you’re looking for cheap tyres, it is better to opt for…

Choosing a tyre that meets your budget and your needs can be difficult, but knowing what to look for can make the process easier. By taking a little time to read these guidelines, you’ll learn enough to make an educated decision. When Do You Need Tyres? Tyres are considered “worn out” when the tread depth reaches 2/32”. However, in wet areas, 4/32” or less in tread depth can result in a loss of traction. In snowy conditions, traction diminishes at 6/32”; shallower groove and lug depths keep tyres from biting into snow. If tyres are wearing irregularly, they need to be replaced…

A “custom wheel” is a wheel that has been modified according to user preference. These wheels deviate from the vehicle manufacturer standard. The optimization is done as the owner looks for a specific experience from the car. This might be visual appeal, or a higher level of performance. Modifications differ based on these categories. So what is the best way to choose custom wheels for your car? These are three of the most significant factors you need to keep in mind: Wheel Size This is one area where size really does matter. Radically bigger wheel size can put undue stress on the brakes,…

For the past several weeks, the drilling industry — hammered by bad financial results — has begun promoting its next big thing: the Utica shale, generating the sort of headlines you might have seen five years ago, when the shale drilling rush was gaining speed. “Utica Shale Holds 20 Times More Gas Than Previous Estimates”, read one headline. “Utica Bigger Than Marcellus”, proclaimed another. Click here for reuse options! Tags: shalefrackingInvestmentsstockscapitalChesapeake Energylossesmarket capitalizationUtica Shaletechnically recoverable resourcereservespotentialnatural…

As jury selection begins for the trial of coal baron Don Blankenship, his team of lawyers are doing everything possible to prevent prosecuting attorneys from mentioning the Upper Big Branch mine explosion that claimed the lives of 29 mine workers. Blankenship is currently awaiting trial on charges of conspiring to violate mine safety standards and making false statements. These charges are what ultimately led to the mine disaster, but Blankenship has not been charged for that explosion. Click here for reuse options! Tags: don blankenshipMasseycoalMineexplosionUpper Big…

A California family is suing the state for failing to protect their children from fracking. At issue are the state’s new fracking regulations, which went into effect on July 1. Rodrigo Romo, the named plaintiff in the suit, says the rules discriminate against Latino children, like his daughters, because they are far more likely to go to school or live near a fracked well. “Everyday my daughters go to school, they fear for their health and safety because of how close the fracking wells are to their schools,” Romo said in a statement. Click here for reuse options!

Congress adjourned at the end of this week for their annual August vacation, and as usual, they used this last week of July to push their most extreme anti-environment legislation. One of the main goals of the industry-funded House of Representatives is to loosen coal ash rules before they go into effect in October, and that’s exactly what the House did last week. Click here for reuse options! Tags: coal ashDisposalregulationDavid McKinleyLegislationgroundwatercontaminationDuke EnergyCancerPoisonToxinDangersarsenic

AttachmentSize DOGGR Letter to US EPA covering 7-15-15 submittal215.38 KB Attachment 2, Plan for Class II Improvements359.8 KB California oil and gas regulators still embroiled in controversy over their “corrupt, inept, and woefully mismanaged” underground injection control program — which permitted thousands of oilfield wastewater disposal wells to operate in protected groundwater aquifers — are refusing to release the results of a report on thousands more injection wells that could be polluting L.A.’s drinking water supply. Click here for reuse options!

If you’re anything like us, your wanderlust knows no bounds. A perfect escape is immersion in nature, packed with a balanced mix of adventure and tranquility. We’ve rounded up 6 gorgeous, environmentally responsible resorts around that world so you can begin daydreaming about your next trip. The New Yorker in me can’t help but to plan for a warm weather trip around August and September since I know cooler weather is right around the corner. You can even begin to sign up for carbon-free trips and packages, and check for online stores, such as Target.com that features a range…

Bario Neal‘s jewelry hits the great-design trifecta for me: It’s ethical, it’s edgy and it’s enjoyable to wear. The company recently sent me one of their Shark Triad necklaces to try out and it’s one of my new fave things ever, and one that will definitely stand the test of time; it’s a classic piece that I’ve gotten so many compliments on every time I wear it. I love that: Bario Neal is committed to environmental responsibility, ethical sourcing and marriage equality. Our jewelry is handcrafted in Philadelphia with reclaimed precious metals,…

Credo has been called the “Sephora of natural beauty,” seeking to achieve the same array of seemingly endless makeup options—but with an eye towards personal and planetary health. (That comparison to Sephora is apt: Credo’s founder, Shashi Batra, originally brought the cosmetics store to the US in 1997.) The all-natural beauty supply company includes over 70 brands. Credo has had an online presence for quite some time, but in June they opened their first brick-and-mortar store on Fillmore St. in San Francisco. A favorite feature of mine? Healthy swaps, a system that…

How much better would you sleep if you knew your pajamas were supporting a woman in need? Proceeds fromPour Les Femmes sleepwear—co-founded by House of Cards’ Robin Wright and designer Karen Fowler—benefit women in The Democratic Republic of Congo who have been victims of violence. Comfort and security is a fundamental right of every human being. Pour Les Femmes supports charitable organizations that directly help women in conflict regions around the world. The company’s goal is to unite a community of supporters around Pour Les Femmes and bring awareness to this issue. The…

Image from Flickr user Oleg Shpyrko I have always loved the smell of rain. Though I’ve never quite been a “splashing through mud puddles” kind of girl, give me a good walk just after a storm and I’ll be smiling. Everything smells fresh, as though the problems that have plagued the world since the last shower have been washed away. Image from Flickr user Jeff W. Spencer But why does this happen? Where does this scent come from? Water has no smell, so it’s not the rain itself that creates this sense of clean euphoria. Image from Flickr user Nana B Agyei…

GM has set pricing and final towing specs for the upcoming turbodiesel-powered 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The new mid-size diesel will be alone in its segment when it goes on sale later this year. Powered by a 2.8-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine, the Colorado will be rated at 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It incorporates a...

From The Car Connection: 2016 Kia Sedona Review With its 2015 redesign, the Kia Sedona became much more competitive in terms of space, functionality, and refinement, and the 2016 model only adds features, including a standard rearview camera. Get $1,000 If You Convince A Friend To Buy A Tesla Model S (Note: You Have To Own A Tesla, Too) Across...

Volkswagen has announced a recall of select Audi SQ5 crossovers from the 2014 and 2015 model years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of those vehicles may suffer from a software glitch that could cause them to lose power steering in cold weather. CHECK OUT: Audi A4 Vs. BMW 3-Series: Compare Cars Suspicions were...

Cadillac ATS owners, we have some bad news. Remember in February, when we told you that the ATS sedan was being recalled because of problems with the sunroof switch? According to Auto News, the ATS is being recalled again for the same problem. It appears that the fix initially offered by Cadillac -- the addition of a trim plate to protect the...

Both the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, in just a few generations, have gone from also-rans to tough mid-size rivals for vehicles such as the Nissan Altima, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. It's all for good reason, thanks to great styling, excellent fuel economy, available hybrid models, and class-leading value. If you have your eyes on this South...

Plastic baggies seem to be a kitchen essential but they are flimsy, not easily reusable and plastic. We’ve been using these reusable, food safe bags to replace our Ziploc addiction. I keep 6-8 on hand to use for snacks on the go and to pack in my kid’s waste-free lunches. They are great for snack or lunch time to store sandwiches, fruit and veggies, crackers, cheese and more. LunchSkins – These reusable, colorful cloth pouches are made from a quick drying fabric that is coated with a food-safe polyurethane liner. They have been certified as lead, Bisphenol-A (BPA) and…

Last year, I shared a few ways that I use to get brand name clothes on a budget. One of them is to purchase new and pre-owned clothing from thredUP where I regularly pick up items from my favorite brands. Overall, it’s been a great experience but there are a few things to keep in mind. The Good 1. thredUP sells most of my favorite brands like J.Crew, Paige, Zara and Anthropologie. They also carry both new and pre-owned items. In one order, I received 10 brand new items for my kids. All but one of the items was in new or like new condition. 2. In the last two years, I’ve…

Last year was the first in many years that we stayed healthy all winter (I know, knock on wood). It was also the first winter I had to take a medication that lowered my immune system so I was determined to do everything I could to keep us from getting the common cold or flu, or worse. I don’t think there’s a silver bullet on this list, I’m convinced it was a combination of practical and healthy choices that helped pave the way for a well winter. Here’s hoping for another one. Humidifier We live in a dry climate so I keep several humidifiers on hand to use in the…

When Halloween rolls around every year, stores are filled with cheap paint to decorate our children’s faces. Without thinking, we smother their precious skin with paint filled with lead, parabens and artificial colors. Unfortunately the FDA does not regulate face paints so it’s no surprise that the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 10 face paints and found all 10 contained lead and several other heavy metals. Fortunately, we can recommend many natural face paints and a quick recipe to make your own! Earth Paint has both a Mini Face Painting Kit or their All Natural Face…

I’m over at The Art of Simple today sharing the 5 questions I’ve been using to purge 30 boxes worth of stuff from our house. From the post: I will fondly remember the summer of 2014 as a season of purging. Just off three moves in three years and finally settled into a more permanent home, I’m finally ready to sell, donate, and gift many of the possessions I’ve carefully stored. I was so determined to simplify that I literally went through every item that came through the door. Each one was evaluated with a few mental questions to decide whether or not it would stay. Come on over…

The oil and gas value chain comprises multi-faceted stages — from exploration and production through storage and shipping to refining and distribution. Each stage in the chain has one significant challenge: engineering document management.This white paper explains how engineering document management helped three companies:Mitigate risk throughout the entire project lifecycleControl and secure the vast amounts of documents and data that drive the oil and gas value chainReduce costs, improved operational efficiencies, and adherence to government reporting and higher security standardsManage…

Published since 1882 and read by managers and engineers, POWER is the oldest and most trusted source of information in the energy industry. Coverage includes boilers and combustion systems, environmental management; instrumentation, controls, computers, and software; information technologies; natural gas, oil, coal, and renewable fuels; nuclear power; pumps, compressors, valves, and piping; turbines, engines, and generators; water treatment.Request Free!

Utilities face challenges from every angle: Overwhelming volumes of legacy data, aging infrastructure and reduced funding, increased government regulations, and high retirement rates from an aging workforce, to name a few.This paper shows how four utilities addressed these challenges with Engineering Document Management (EDM) and achieved: Reductions in overall operations time and costs Preservation of critical “tribal knowledge”Air-tight regulatory complianceControl over their legacy data so that versions were clearly identified and readily availableRequest Free!

Coca-Cola wants us to imagine a world without labels to inspire tolerance, and has introduced a new version of its iconic red and white can in Middle Eastern countries for [...] The post Promoting Tolerance: Middle Eastern Campaign by Coca-Cola appeared first on SocialEarth.

According to the White House figures, American women on average earn $0.77 for every dollar earned by men. The pay gap is even wider for women of color and ethnic [...] The post More Companies Try to Close the Gender Pay Gap appeared first on SocialEarth.

Seven days, seven marathons. The Run Across Congo has created huge awareness for gender equality in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Women runners from around the U.S. gathered together [...] The post B Corp Amavida Runs Across Congo to Support Gender Equality appeared first on SocialEarth.

Guest blog by Toni Voelker There was excitement in the room when the student organization Net Impact held a SolutionLab at the UC Davis campus, at the end of May. About [...] The post Nourishing 9 Billion: Addressing the Challenge of Producing More Nutritious Food with Less Waste While Conserving Land appeared first on SocialEarth.

More data from the frontlines about the bottom line benefits of corporate philanthropy, this time with a focus on restaurants. The recent No Kid Hungry summit in Washington, D.C., which [...] The post “I’ll Have That With a Side of Philanthropy, Please.” appeared first on SocialEarth.

Technically Incorrect: Americans reveal themselves to be neurotic about back-to-school online shopping, according to a new survey. But many will be buying laptops, phones or tablets for their little ones.

One of the greatest marketing challenges for builders and remodelers, and especially for those in the high performance (or green or passive or net zero or EnergyStar) market, is lead capture. Your potential client starts thinking about a project many years before it might happen. That lengthy period of dreaming, research and study is when you’d ideally capture the lead – and nurture that opportunity through to a contract. The fundamental question, of course, is how to do that given that the consideration phase of a new project is such a long and winding journey. At Energy Circle,…

If you’ve attended any of our webinars or done any reading about website optimization, you’ve probably heard the term “landing page” used multiple times. You’ve also probably heard us talk about a lot of techniques that sound great but leave you at a loss for how to put them into practice. What is a landing page? This term is used ubiquitously across marketing and website development but can take on different meanings depending on the conversation. The most basic definition of a landing page is a page on a website that users land on or navigate to. At Energy…

New to Facebook ads? Be sure to check out Part 1 of my 3-part series: Why Use Facebook Ads? 5 Reasons to Start Your Campaigns TODAY. This is Part 2. Now that you’re convinced using Facebook ads is a good idea for your business, let’s move on to the nitty-gritty details of ad management. A good place to start: who are you looking to target with your ads? The extreme specificity of Facebook’s advanced targeting features ensure that advertisers are not taking a shot in the dark with their ad placements. Need some targeting options to get you started? Check out just some of…

It is with much geekery that I begin our 3 part exploration of Facebook ads. First up, the important, fundamental question: why use ‘em? If you’re not using Facebook ads by now, it’s seriously time to consider it. As the second most-visited website in the world (second to our beloved multi-colored search engine), Facebook is an avenue not only for your personal page, company page, and occasional pictures of the office dog; it is (or can be) a tool for reaching new audiences and getting new customers. It has proven to be a success at gaining customer traction, and not just…

The only constant about Google’s algorithms is change. Google has once again made updates to the local SERPs (search engine result pages), and this time it could affect home performance companies in a big way. Around May 15th SEO experts were seeing major changes in local search results. A large increase in the number of local packs was recorded. Around the same time a sizeable decrease in the traffic of large directories including YellowPages, Manta, and CitySearch was also noticed. Some of these changes were attributed to the Doorway Update, while others associated it with what has…

Indoor air pollution can stem from a variety of causes, some of which may be surprising such as toiletries. Mainly, though, the quality of air indoors is the result of a push and pull between the ventilation system and pollutants found inside the house or building. There are a lot of other contributing factors to indoor air pollution, and not many people are aware of just how dangerous such a condition at home can be. In fact, more than half of the deaths caused by exposure to air pollution can be attributed to indoor air pollution. Let’s take a look at its alarming effects. Effects on…

Now that summer break is in full swing – you may be looking for some fun activities that will get your kids out of the house. Green outings are a great way to get you kids involved in the environment and add a little more excitement to long summer days. Here are 9 of my favorite eco-friendly summer outings for kids. 1. Local Farms A farm is a great outing to show your children how our food is grown and harvested. They can see which fruits and vegetables grow in your area and can also have a hands on experience with a farm animal. Many local farms have classes that allow the kids to milk…

I was relatively new to 100 Percent Pure and I wanted to check it out to see what it was really about. It’s an online cosmetic shop, I knew that much, but I wanted to see if it was really as natural as what I’d heard. In particular, I wanted to know more about the fruit based makeup. It just seemed like such a great idea; I wondered what it would be like. I was very pleasantly surprised! This stuff is wonderful. Their line of cosmetics, beauty products, and skincare really is pure; it’s organic and all natural. The use of all of the really great natural ingredients is designed to give…

It’s no secret that our landfills are filling up, and fast. Each person in America generates approximately 4.5 lbs of trash each day—with a population of 317 million people, that’s a LOT of garbage! We all know about the obvious ways to reduce solid waste—donating old clothes, recycling containers, composting, and choosing biodegradable when possible—but it turns out that a lot of other commonly used products can be recycled or reused, too. Here’s a list of 7 you may not have known about. #1: Markers Crayola’s ColorCycle initiative takes old Crayola markers and re-uses and…

I learned a long time ago that I am the type of person who needs to exercise every single day. I am prone to anxiety, depression and tend to be a workaholic, so exercising is something that is necessary to keep my life balanced. It has been a life saver for me. I have always started my day with a workout routine, mostly a combination of weigh-training and aerobics at home. My body responds very well to this type of exercise, until it doesn’t anymore. This usually means that after a few weeks or months, I will injure my knee to the point where I am not only unable to workout – but…

Watch VideoIf you're under 30, you likely grew up watching one — if not every single — original movie on Disney Channel."Microbe is coming here!" Zenon screams in "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century."Remember "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century"? Zetus lapetus! We were bopping our heads to the song "Zoom" for the next year. (Video via Disney Channel / 'Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century')And who can forget "Halloweentown"? Forget candy and costumes; this movie is Halloween.Yes, those movies — and so many others — are…

Watch VideoNews outlets in California are reporting at least 11 people were injured in a three-car crash involving a stretch limo Saturday night."It tried to stop at the red light, couldn't quite make it. He braked very hard, but this other little white vehicle behind me spun out and hit the other vehicle," Sgt. Brian Allen of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told KABC.The crash happened in Santa Clarita, just outside Los Angeles. According to KABC, the only person who wasn't injured was the limo driver. At least five people are critically…

Watch VideoFormer U.S. defense and intelligence officials have chosen a side in the fight over strong encryption.Mike McConnell, Michael Chertoff and William Lynn penned an op-ed in The Washington Post last week, to warn against backdoors and legislation that could undermine data security.They say while the FBI and the Justice Department have "serious and legitimate concerns" about their access to digital data, encryption is too important to intentionally compromise.This is the latest weigh-in in the latest version of the encryption debate, which has come to a head…

Watch VideoBobbi Kristina Brown was laid to rest in Alpharetta, Georgia on Saturday, but the funeral was anything but calm.Her aunt, Leolah Brown, was thrown out of the service after yelling at Pat Houston as she walked up to the podium.Brown told the press, including Entertainment Tonight: "I have information, I have evidence, I have knowledge of who Pat really is. ... She's not of any relation whatsoever to Krissi."Leolah was furious in part because she believed some of Pat's motives with the funeral plans were selfish. Instead of flowers, Pat asked…

Watch VideoAfter a video surfaced of two guys hacking a moving Jeep Grand Cherokee through its infotainment system, Fiat Chrysler — who makes Jeeps — issued a major recall.Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the company that makes the hackable infotainment system.That company is Harman Kardon, which makes home and auto audio equipment. The company has its audio systems in several major vehicle brands, and according to the NHTSA, there could be more than 2.8 million infotainment systems affected.The NHTSA says it's opening the…

JFS Newsletter No.155 (July 2015) Image by John Gillespie Some Rights Reserved. The previous issue of the JFS Newsletter introduced problems resulting from a declining population and future challenges for Japan nationwide. It was based on the first half of an April 23, 2015, lecture on the depopulation in Japan, by Hiroya Masuda, who is chairperson of the private think tank Japan Policy Council (JPC) and guest professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy of the University of Tokyo. This issue of the JFS Newsletter continues with the second half of Masuda's lecture, focusing on Tokyo's…

Image by Σ64 Some Rights Reserved. As each nation around the world makes preparations for reaching an international agreement on climate action at the upcoming 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21), to be held December 2015, the Japanese government has indicated commitment to a lower greenhouse gas (GHS) emissions reduction target compared with European countries. Since further introduction of renewable energy is indispensable for reducing GHG emissions, Japan for Sustainability (JFS) introduces the following…

Shining the Light on the Future of FutabaCopyright Yayoi Minowa All Rights Reserved. A weekly column called "Tohoku Reconstruction Diary" (Tohoku Fukko Nikki in Japanese) in the regional newspaper "Tokyo Shimbun," which covers eastern Japan in delivering news and stories on reconstruction efforts in the areas devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, published a series of articles submitted by the "JKSK Empowering Women Empowering Society," a certified non-profit organization, about an initiative called the "Yui-Yui Project" that supports victims of the earthquake. We present here…

Image by Chris Baird Some Rights Reserved. Chigasaki City in East Japan has been implementing the "Chigasaki Solar Energy Credit" program since April 1, 2014. The program converts the environmental value of power generated by residential photovoltaic generators into emission credits, sells them to businesses, and returns the sales profits to residents.

JFS Newsletter No.154 (June 2015) Copyright Institute for Studies in Happiness, Economy and Society All Rights Reserved. The Institute for Studies in Happiness, Economy and Society (ISHES), with JFS as its outreach partner, is undertaking a project called "What Is Economic Growth? -- Interviews with 100 People." How does Eastern wisdom view economic growth? Here we introduce the responses to this question by Yoshifumi Taguchi, a scholar of the works of Lao Tzu and Chuang-Tzu, and director of the Research Institute for Integration of Eastern and Western Wisdom.

Sometimes notebooks are a pain in the butt to look for. They’re either the dull, basic kind you can buy in a five pack, or they’re so ornate and expensive it feels like the book is too pretty to write in. A good middle way here is upcycled notebooks. They’re easily customizable and stylish, but you get the added benefit of upcycling’s practicality. The notebook will be pretty, but not so fancy that it feels like you can’t scribble all over it. Below are 15 surprising ways old junk can become gorgeous and personally meaningful notebooks. <img class="undefined"…

<img class="undefined" title="plantingcontainers" alt="plantingcontainers.jpg" data-cms-alignment="none" data-cms-link-to-option="none" src="http://recyclenation.com/resources/2015/7/plantingcontainers_400x400.jpg" /> It’s hard to resist the call of the beautiful flowers, delicious berries and handsome trees gazing at you at your local nursery. They promise color and life, which can seem particularly appealing after a long winter. When you get your plants home, some may go in the ground, but many will go into some kind of…

Bottle caps are those types of small trash items that seem to end up everywhere. You twist them off of a bottle and leave them without a second thought. Now, before you know it, your kitchen is littered with the things. But they don’t have to just become trash. Whether you use plastic bottle caps or classic metal ones, there is an upcycle project or product for you. <img class="undefined" title="bottlecap1" alt="bottlecap1.jpg" data-cms-alignment="center" data-cms-link-to-option="none"…

<img class="undefined" title="plasticbag" alt="plasticbag.jpg" data-cms-alignment="none" data-cms-link-to-option="none" src="http://recyclenation.com/resources/2015/7/plasticbag_400x400.jpg" /> Living in Wisconsin and almost inevitably enduring rough and tumble winters, I yearn for spring. Each March or April (depending upon the unruliness of the particular winter), I partake in that annual ritual of spring clean-up. It includes venturing outside and removing all the trash that accumulated in the four or so preceding months.

<img class="undefined" title="lightbulb" alt="lightbulb.jpg" data-cms-alignment="none" data-cms-link-to-option="none" src="http://recyclenation.com/resources/2015/7/lightbulb_400x400.jpg" /> Who knew? That gaudy garment or old, worn-out tire that was just taken off your car could go from an item destined to populate your local landfill to a repurposed decoration or accessory that truly gives meaning to the phrase “a whole new lease on life.” Think of it as the ugly duckling fable, just applied to inanimate objects The above…

Energy from natural gas and oil are essential resources in almost every country across the globe. From powering a desk lamp to a cargo ship crossing the ocean, energy provides goods, services and comfort for almost every aspect of life. However, energy companies have been given a negative reputation because of their resource production techniques. ... The post Supporting Energy Companies with Smart Environmental Policies appeared first on Green Diary - Green Revolution Guide by Dr Prem.

We often buy a shed with high hopes of turning it into a workshop, a relaxing summer house or a home from home. However, in many cases our sheds quickly become a place to hide the clutter in our homes and a dumping ground for anything and everything. So when it comes to using ... The post How to get your shed back in shape appeared first on Green Diary - Green Revolution Guide by Dr Prem.

Eco friendly landscaping is an essential part of a green architecture. You can do the green landscaping on your own saving you money, making your home beautiful, and sustaining environment. Here are a few tips you can use to do eco-friendly landscaping efficiently: Climate plays a big role in eco friendly landscaping Climate plays an ... The post Tips and tricks to put you on the path of eco friendly landscaping appeared first on Green Diary - Green Revolution Guide by Dr Prem.

Spraying toxic sprays to get rid of bed bugs in your home is no more a viable solution, as those chemical sprays tend to harm you and your family more than the bugs as they contaminate the air. Here are some natural, eco-friendly solutions you can use to get rid of bed bug infestation ... The post Eco-friendly ways to battle with bed bug infestation appeared first on Green Diary - Green Revolution Guide by Dr Prem.

Homeowners, especially investment savvy homeowners, are always tempted to cut corners on repairs and renovations in their homes. If you’re like me, you bought a first home with the intention of one day turning it into an income-generating property. This way of thinking makes a ton of sense, as tenants will often end ... The post The Perks of Doing Good Work on Renovations appeared first on Green Diary - Green Revolution Guide by Dr Prem.

OceanaGold has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Romarco Minerals in an all-share transaction to be completed by way of a statutory Plan of Arrangement under the Business Corporations Act.

French state-controlled utility Electricite de France (EDF) has signed a non-binding memorandum with nuclear group Areva to acquire up to 75% stake in the latter’s reactor business, Areva NP, for $2.2bn.

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This week the largest Special Olympics ever was hosted in the City of Long Beach – thousands of athletes, coaches, dignitaries and families descended upon Los Angeles for what was a spectacular week of uplifting...

BERKELEY, Calif., July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Vu1 Corporation today announced that the board of directors has initiated a process to explore strategic alternatives, including but not limited to a possible sale of the Company, a strategic partnership, a technology licensing...

CINCINNATI and DALLAS, July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CECO Environmental Corp. ("CECO") (NasdaqGM: CECE) and PMFG, Inc. ("PMFG") (NasdaqGM: PMFG), today announced that each company will hold a special meeting of stockholders on September 2, 2015, in connection with CECO's pending...

AMES, Iowa, July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerFilm, Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality, thin-film solar products located in the United States, announces its launch of a Kickstarter crowd funding campaign to produce the HelioVault. The project is scheduled to go live on Kickstarter...

Whole Foods Market can use all the image help it can get right now. After a slamming investigation in New York City that found widespread overcharging on prepackaged foods, the chain is eagerly shifting focus to 365 by Whole Foods Market, it’s lower-price concept store opening next year The post They’re Coming: Locations for Whole Foods New Concept Stores Announced appeared first on Eat Drink Better.

Three new Scotch cocktails recipes plus a bonus scotch-based treat for the rest of us The post 3 New Scotch Cocktails (+ bonus scotch-based treat for the rest of us) appeared first on Eat Drink Better.

With a little forethought and healthy meal planning, mealtime can be a breeze and dinner will only take a few minutes each evening The post Healthy Meal Planning, Made Easy appeared first on Eat Drink Better.

French farmers may conjure imagery of the purest food, of quaintness, quietude, and lolling about in rolling bucolic hills on the French countryside. But in a big move against multinational agricultural trade agreements, French farmers are stepping off their land and taking to the streets The post Are French Farmers on the Verge of a Full-Scale Rebellion? appeared first on Eat Drink Better.

Caribou Camping Co.*, founded by a 16-year-old last year (making him 17 now), has a pretty straightforward aim: help stop pollution. Of course, being a camping company, it aims to do so in the realm of camping equipment and such. The latest product the company is offering is a backpack made from recycled water bottles, New Backpack From Camping Company Founded By Teenager was originally posted on: PlanetSave. To read more from Planetsave, join thousands of others and subscribe to our free RSS feed, follow us on Facebook (also free), follow us on Twitter, or just visit our homepage.

Early life starvation can lead to epigenetic changes that persist for multiple generations, according to a new research from Duke University. To be more specific — third-generation nematode worms still show signs of having survived famine. This represents what Duke University biologist Ryan Baugh has termed: a “bet-hedging strategy.” As the worms used in the Early Life Starvation Leads To Epigenetic Changes That Are Passed Down For Generations, Research On Worms Finds was originally posted on: PlanetSave. To read more from Planetsave, join thousands of others and subscribe…

Even though plants don’t possess a nervous system they use signals previously assumed to only be associated with animals when exposed to stress, new research from the University of Adelaide has found. While the machinery may be different, the research has shown that the combination of electrical and chemical signals is remarkably similar to that Plants Use Signals Previously Only Thought To Be Associated With Animals When Stressed, Research Finds was originally posted on: PlanetSave. To read more from Planetsave, join thousands of others and subscribe to our free RSS feed, follow us on…

In a finding that shows that brown dwarfs, often referred to as failed stars, have more in common with regular planets than might otherwise be expected, researchers have found that brown dwarfs are home to powerful auroral phenomena near their poles. The findings are the result of a 20-year study that used radio + optical Brown Dwarfs Feature Powerful Auroras Like Planets was originally posted on: PlanetSave. To read more from Planetsave, join thousands of others and subscribe to our free RSS feed, follow us on Facebook (also free), follow us on Twitter, or just visit our homepage.

Stellar orbits within the Milky Way can change considerably over time, according to new research published in The Astrophysical Journal. The new work shows — via the use of map created via the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) — that roughly a third of the stars in the Milky Way have dramatically changed their orbits. Stellar Orbits In Milky Way Change Dramatically, Research Finds was originally posted on: PlanetSave. To read more from Planetsave, join thousands of others and subscribe to our free RSS feed, follow us on Facebook (also free), follow us on Twitter, or just visit our…

Can an ongoing program of consumer education on the importance & benefits of recycling increase rates? At least one expert thinks it's key The post The Waste Biz: Consumer Education Key To Raising Recycling Rate appeared first on Sustainablog.

Got a plastic bottle in the recycling bin? Than you've got the main thing you need for this DIY cellphone charging cradle - check out our tutorial The post Easy Upcycling: Turn A Plastic Bottle Into A Cellphone Charging Cradle appeared first on Sustainablog.

Startup FoPo Food Powder addresses the issue of food waste by collecting nearly expired fruits, and freeze drying it into a powder with a long shelf life The post Startup FoPo Food Powders Freeze Dries Nearly Expired Fruit, Hopes To Lessen Food Waste appeared first on Sustainablog.

Sure, you can recycle them, but why reuse plastic bottles to make things you can use around the house: from planters of all kinds to furniture and boats! The post How To Reuse Plastic Bottles: 13 Plans And Ideas appeared first on Sustainablog.

The First Lego League is challenging teams of kids from around the world to figure out techie solutions to waste with its year-long Trash Trek event The post First Lego League Challenges Kids To Find Techie Solutions To Waste appeared first on Sustainablog.

"People who are happiest have frequent good experiences"Every family is busy. As kids age, they develop their own schedules. Parents have their planners and calendars too. It can be hard to communicate and organize these full lives. Here are 5 Family organizing and communication tips and ideas that will help! Although my family lives a more […] The post 5 ideas and tips for organizing and communicating your family’s schedule appeared first on Eco Child's Play.

H.R. 1599 ensures chemical businesses like Monsanto profit from and control agriculture It is a dark day in the history of food safety in the United States. The US House of Representatives has passed H.R. 1599, ironically called the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, but labeled by GMO-labeling advocates the Dark Act (Deny Americans the Right […] The post House passed the Dark Act H.R. 1599 banning states’ rights for GMO labeling appeared first on Eco Child's Play.

My Green Fills has a solution to the jug problem.I’m observant, well some might say nosey. I noticed what organic food people have in their shopping carts at Costco. I notice what people are recycling at the recycling center. I notice these things not because I am judgmental but because I am curious. If you […] The post 1 billion plastic laundry jugs are discarded in the US each year appeared first on Eco Child's Play.

"An examination of the testes revealed necrosis (death) and desquamation (shedding) of the spermatogonial cells"Many couples struggle with infertility. Two years ago we reported on a Harvard study that found BPA may be to blame for 20% of unexplained infertility. But what about the other 80%? Could GMO corn be contributing to male infertility? According to […] The post Could GMO corn be contributing to male infertility? appeared first on Eco Child's Play.

"Often viewed as aloof, unmotivated or conceited, introverted children are deeply misunderstood"It’s hard to pin a person into one label, especially a child, yet we tend to be one way or another most of the time. By nature, introverted children are quieter and often labeled as “shy”. Extroverted children are the opposite and are thought to […] The post Is your child an introvert or an extrovert? appeared first on Eco Child's Play.

Turn an old piece of wood furniture new again with this cool image transfer to furniture technique. Even if you do not have the artistic skills of a professional painter (as I do NOT!), you can still put some pretty baller graphics on your pieces. I, for instance, had the dream of a deck chair with a black and white movie monster theme. Can I draw Gort, King Kong, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and, my personal favorite, Godzilla? No, my friends, I cannot. I can draw a cartoon cat. That’s it. If you want a cartoon cat drawn on something, then come to me first. Anything else?

Do you love unique DIY home decor? Don’t throw away that old medicine cabinet– upcycle it into awesome DIY wall shelves! My mom gave me an old medicine cabinet because she knows that I’m obsessed with DIY furniture projects. I loved all of the cabinet’s character, but the door had completely fallen off the hinges. Instead of throwing it away, I turned the base of the cabinet into awesome DIY wall shelves! DIY Wall Shelves Materials – an old medicine cabinet – lead paint swabs (Here’s why!) – a rag – a screwdriver – water-based spray…

I love spray paint. It’s so easy, so efficient, so quick to use. I also hate spray paint. Even water-based, “eco-friendly” spray paints are only a better choice than other spray paints; they aren’t nearly as environmentally friendly as non-aerosol paint. Okay, bear with me for a sec, as I can’t let that last phrase pass without a short-ish chemistry lesson. Technically, the paint that I’m about to tell you about is also aerosol paint, as “aerosol,” chemically speaking, simply means particles suspended in air. Any paint that flies through the air…

Generally, I think it’s absolutely insane to prep for Christmas six months before the actual holiday. However, I do make one exception. I make a homemade vanilla sugar that’s so awesome it’ll knock Santa’s boots off! And it makes perfect sense to whip this up in July because the longer it sits in your pantry, the more fragrant and tastier it gets. Once December rolls around, this sugar is completely infused with vanilla flavor and trust me – it’s delicious. Slap on a bow and it’s ready for gift-giving. How’s that for a Christmas in July craft…

Cargo pants can be kind of hard to upcycle. They get worn as hard as jeans do, but they’re half the weight. They don’t lend themselves to the sorts of heavyweight projects that denim is best for, but because they’re pants, you don’t think of them when you’re making lightweight projects. Poor cargo pants! Well, I happen to be a BIG fan of cargo pants as the butch alternative to shorts, and so I always have plenty of beat-up pairs to upcycle. Here, then, are my favorite ways to upcycle your cargo pants–some are easy, some are more complex, but all are…

Danube – Tisa – Danube canal is one of the largest complex systems built in Europe after the Second World War. It covers the northern part of Serbia – the territory of Vojvodina, with the total area of about 12,700 km2. The total length of the dug main canals is 960 km, including new and […] The post Water Pollution In Danube – Tisa – Danube Canal, Bečej – Bogojevo Section. appeared first on Greenfudge.org.

Those of us of living in mainland societies with sufficient resources to maintain adequate sea walls, have the luxury of worrying less about ocean levels rising than the inhabitants of Kiribati and Tuvalu. Both Pacific Ocean atoll nations are under threat of inundation. Shannon Sims wrote a proposal titled Let ‘Em Sink. At first, the […] The post Dare We Let Kiribati and Tuvalu Atolls Sink appeared first on Greenfudge.org.

Mainland China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines gather around the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea like hyenas and vultures hoping to tear their prey apart. Their motive is obvious. The combined land mass may be only 3.9 square kilometres / 1.5 square miles in an ocean 425,000 square kilometres / 164,000 square […] The post Spratly Islands Under Threat appeared first on Greenfudge.org.

The Macedonian capital has always been the center of historical events and a true reflection of Macedonian culture and tradition. However in recent years, the once charming city of Skopje have become one big dusty construction site swallowing old buildings and very old trees and now threatening people’s health and livelihood. 2014 was the year […] The post Urbanization boom causes serious health problems for rising population in Skopje appeared first on Greenfudge.org.

Today the whole world celebrates the World Environment Day (WED) 2015. It is a United Nations Environment Program, which aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and call for action. The theme of this year’s event is sustainable lifestyles and Italy is the host country. World Environment Day is celebrated every year on 5 June […] The post World Environment Day 2015: Be an active member appeared first on Greenfudge.org.

To read it in French, click here Press Release for immediate distribution July 13th, 2015 - Guam (USA) The scientific teams of the Race for Water Odyssey in Guam for new analyses on plastic pollution in oceans Leaving Honolulu on June 30, the Race for Water Odyssey has since travelled with the purpose of going to Guam (Mariana Islands) for a new scientific stopover. The simultaneous presence of two typhoons in the area has forced the crew to change its itinerary. Despite the absence of the navigation team in Guam, the planned stopover in this archipelago can still be conducted under good…

Seeing Green—by Annabel Hertz Annabel Hertz is senior advisor to the Arch Institute and, like Arcani, the novel's protagonist, she grew up in San Francisco and lives on avocados and espresso.Compelled by the indigenous peoples at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, Arcani Kirsch, a recent graduate with Jewish-Hopi roots, leaves her west coast cocoon to join EnvironMentality, an international association of green-minded businesses in Washington, DC, committed to getting the Earth Treaty ratified. The first step is ensuring next US President attends a Ministerial meeting in Paris and Arcani spearheads…

posted by Paige DonnerRead the full original text, in English (also French, Italian, Spanish, etc.) translation, HEREDirect Link To Pope Francis' Encyclical - The Original Text Document.... aint Francis of Assisi10. I do not want to write this Encyclical without turning to that attractive and compelling figure, whose name I took as my guide and inspiration when I was elected Bishop of Rome. I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. He is the patron saint of all who study and…

​ ​ "We both love nature and are proud to be a part of such a wonderful celebration of positive ideas." - Gabriel and Dresden "On this beautiful Earth Day 2015 let us take a grateful moment to be thankful to our beautiful mother earth, from which life is born and nurtured. Let us work harder and with more thought and compassion to take care of her and keep her safe and clean. Let us work to teach, inform, and kindly pass on ways in which we can conserve, preserve and care for the health of mother earth, which…

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This week the largest Special Olympics ever was hosted in the City of Long Beach – thousands of athletes, coaches, dignitaries and families descended upon Los Angeles for what was a spectacular week of uplifting...

AMES, Iowa, July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerFilm, Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality, thin-film solar products located in the United States, announces the unveiling of their new LightSaver product line at the summer 2015 Outdoor Retail Market scheduled to take place from August...

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This week the largest Special Olympics ever was hosted in the City of Long Beach – thousands of athletes, coaches, dignitaries and families descended upon Los Angeles for what was a spectacular week of uplifting...

BERKELEY, Calif., July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Vu1 Corporation today announced that the board of directors has initiated a process to explore strategic alternatives, including but not limited to a possible sale of the Company, a strategic partnership, a technology licensing...

CINCINNATI and DALLAS, July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CECO Environmental Corp. ("CECO") (NasdaqGM: CECE) and PMFG, Inc. ("PMFG") (NasdaqGM: PMFG), today announced that each company will hold a special meeting of stockholders on September 2, 2015, in connection with CECO's pending...

AMES, Iowa, July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerFilm, Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality, thin-film solar products located in the United States, announces its launch of a Kickstarter crowd funding campaign to produce the HelioVault. The project is scheduled to go live on Kickstarter...

Today, a new psychological repression hides in plain sight. It is the servant of a modern ideology, a religion really, that says the material world is soulless and merely fodder for economic growth. This repression prevents most from seeing our ecological predicament and therefore from understanding it or acting in response to it. This repression is of the very physical world about us and the vast and complex interconnections which govern our lives and the life of the planet.

Global Coal Boom Ends As China — And World — Wakes Up To Reality Of Carbon Pollution | It's not Climate Change - It's Everything Change | Hillary Clinton has a renewable energy plan, but she still needs one for fossil fuels | Study: We've wiped out half the world's wildlife since 1970 | Against Forgetting...

Saving energy doesn't have to involve a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. In fact, it can be as simple as buying the right kitchen appliances or changing your everyday laundry habits. If you're ready to start doing your part for the environment, here are just six easy ways to save energy. 1. Stop Adjusting Your Thermostat Pick a temperature and stick to it. Every time you fiddle with the

image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Taking good care of a lawn or yard makes your property both beautiful looking and inviting. The trouble is the property might end up being inviting to animals. Even those who love our four-legged friends do not want to see the creatures ruin a lawn. To keep such a disaster scenario from occurring, here are five tips to protecting a lawn or yard from animals.

It is understandable that the environment has become a major concern for a large percentage of the population. Companies are trying to come up with eco-friendly solutions for just about anything. This includes the pest control industry. Standard pesticides are not good for the environment. As a result of the concern about the harm that pesticides are doing to the world around us, there have been

photo courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons As more and more consumers and businesses begin to utilize mail order shopping, the market for corrugated cardboard continues to increase. The good news from an environmental viewpoint is that cardboard is easily recycled and reused, in a simple process. So how do cardboard boxes get recycled? The corrugated cardboard is separated and then bundled with

These days, many cleaning companies are interested in optimizing their businesses. Whether this optimization is conceptualized in terms of increased conversion or an expanded sphere of influence, there are numerous ways to put the growth process in motion. Here are three: 1. Buy supplies online. Although most business owners understand that time is money, not all of them capitalize on this

Our daily bread. Breaking bread together. Bread and butter. These are all common phrases that reflect bread’s foundational role in our diet and in the building of our civilization. The stored energy of grain first allowed our ancestors to shift from nomadic hunting and gathering to building settled communities—even great cities. So why in an […]The post Inside the Rise of the Local Grains Movement appeared first on Blog.

The following is a guest post by Tao Orion, author of Beyond the War on Invasive Species. It is an open letter to the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding its proposal to add three new herbicides for invasive species management on western public lands. Find out below, how you can voice your concerns […]The post 3 Ways Spraying More Herbicides on Public Land is Bad appeared first on Blog.

Feel the Bern, now read the Bern. Chelsea Green is bringing out the first major book chronicling the issues being raised by US Senator Bernie Sanders in his campaign for president of the United States. The Essential Bernie Sanders and His Vision for America is the only book that outlines, in Sanders’ own words and […]The post Bern Baby Bern! appeared first on Blog.

Get ready to change the way you look at cheese. David Asher, author of The Art of Natural Cheesemaking, practices and preaches a traditional, but increasingly countercultural, way of making cheese—one that is natural and intuitive, grounded in ecological principles and biological science. Most DIY cheesemaking books are hard to follow and call for the […]The post An All-Natural, Traditional Approach to Cheesemaking appeared first on Blog.

Regardless of where you stand on the climate change issue, there’s one reality few can deny. During the summer, many places in North America are now regularly suffering temperatures above 100˚F, whereas they rarely did in the past. It’s also widely known that such high temperatures put heat stress on crops that are not very […]The post Arid Agriculture: How to Reduce Heat Stress in Crops and Livestock appeared first on Blog.

Target: Mahamat Issa Halikimi, Minister of Human Rights Goal: Celebrate the release of a Chadian prisoner of conscience. Djeralar Miankeol, a Chadian activist who was charged with “insulting the judiciary,” convicted, and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of about $170 (US), has been released, and all the charges against him have been dropped. Sign the petition and join in celebrating what Miankeol’s wife calls “an act of justice in a sea of injustice.” Miankeol was detained following a radio interview in which he criticized the Chadian judicial system.

Target: Virginia Zoo Executive Director Greg Bockheim Goal: Retire two zoo elephants by relocating them to a nearby sanctuary due to the death of their companion. New standards were passed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that included recommending all elephants be kept in packs of at least three or more due to their highly social nature. Because of this, the Virginia Zoo has announced that they will be finding a new location for their two other elephants, 42 year-old Lisa and 47 year-old Cita, because of their third elephant’s passing in 2011. These elephants deserve to live…

Target: Zimbabwean Minister Oppah Muchinguri Goal: Catch poacher who slaughtered Cecil the lion’s brother, Jericho, and doomed Cecil’s cubs to death. Cecil the lion’s brother, Jericho, has been killed by a poacher in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Cecil, who was tricked out of the park and brutally stalked and slaughtered by an American dentist, was survived by his brother, Jericho. Authorities had originally feared the death of Cecil would also mean his cubs would be killed. However, surprisingly, Cecil’s brother Jericho treated the cubs as his own and protected…

Target: President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique and President Edgar Lungu of Zambia Goal: Put an end to abusive sexual initiation practices and help protect young girls from child marriage. Young girls ages eight to 13 are being sent away to camps where they are taught how to please men, learning both domestic and sexual talents that are instilled in them through abusive tactics in Mozambique and Zambia. The President of Mozambique and President of Zambia need to better enforce the laws protecting children and show that the efforts of groups like World Vision are backed by government.

Target: Mr. Bill Schuette, Attorney General of Michigan State Goal: Do not ruin young man’s life by branding him a sex offender for having consensual sex. A young man is about to have his entire future ruined because he was lied to while using a dating application on his phone. He met up with a young woman who he thought to be of an age with him, had sex with her, and was summarily arrested and will be branded a sex offender for the next 25 years of his life. Age of consent laws are important, but there is no reason, in this circumstance, to hand down such a harsh sentence to a young man…

Summary When we think of a greener planet where everything is nature-loved, then we should also think of going green in our daily routines. With the growing global-warming rates and the increasing cost of energy and water, the need to inculcate use of conservation and alternative energy resources in our routine lives has increased. Starting with little steps […]

Going green is a growing concern around the world. With global warming, climate change, pollution, etc. occurring in our world, the time to step up and start living greener has arrived. Green living can help save you a considerable amount of money if done right. Until recently, I didn’t think that living green would save […]

Companies that go green are also more productive, according to researchers from UCLA and the University of Paris-Dauphine. In addition to increased productivity, reducing your carbon footprint can help reduce your costs and overall expenses. According to the EPA, companies worldwide have saved millions simply by upgrading their air conditioning chiller installations. Going green doesn’t […]

Creating a sustainable home, either by building it from scratch or by renovating your existing one, makes not only for a great investment into your future quality of living, but it also impacts our environment in a plethora of beneficial ways. Sustainability translates into responsibility, both personal and professional – we learn to synergize with […]

Green building and eco-friendly don’t have to be intimidating words. Although many environmentally sustainable products have a reputation for being expensive or too difficult to acquire, goods that are kind to the environment are quickly becoming more mainstream and affordable. You no longer have to sacrifice style and comfort now that many manufacturers have become […]

In 1994 we started Mission Zero, our commitment to eliminate our negative impact on the environment by 2020. Along with increasing efficiency, design innovation and recycling efforts, we are constantly looking to replace virgin raw materials as one way to close the loop around our products and cut our dependency on oil. Download the full pdf here. The post Closing the loop – #MissionZero appeared first on Interface Cut the Fluff.

Today is ‘Ocean Plastics Awareness Day’ The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will be taking part in the event on Fistral Beach, Newquay. “The Ocean Plastics Awareness Day offers NGOs, academia, local and national government and industry an opportunity to commit to exploring and delivering pilot circular economy projects that will prevent the flow of plastics to local beaches and reuse plastic waste removed by local cleansing activities.” Cornwall has some of the most beautiful beaches and countryside in the UK. However, all too often they are blighted by…

Interface, has developed the first ever biobased backing for carpet tiles that has now passed all European performance and quality tests, including low VOCs and high dimensional stability. The company expects to commercialise the biobased backing within the next 18 months and rollout across its EMEA product range. The biobased breakthroughs are a crucial step towards Interface’s mission to cut the umbilical cord to oil by 2020. Today, Interface’s 2015 EcoMetrics show that 50 per cent of the raw materials used to make its products globally are either recycled or biobased. Its goal is to…

2degrees will be hosting our live Twitter chat this Thursday – 23rd July at 1pm BST. Ask questions on Twitter via the hashtag #AskInterface or listen in/debate via the same. We will be discussing how you can embed sustainability at the heart of your business model to drive innovation. About 2degrees: “2degrees is the world’s leading collaboration platform and service for sustainable business with over 48,800 members from 177 countries. Our large scale programs and member services enable thousands of people to solve problems, share best practice and collaborate to procure…

The Centre for Science and Policy has recently released this report assessing the risks around climate change. The CSaP helps the sciences and technology to serve society by promoting engagement between researchers and policy professionals. “The most important decision any government has to make about climate change is one of priority: how much effort to expend on countering it, relative to the effort that must be spent on other issues. This risk assessment aims to inform that decision.” As you would expect, the report is direct in its findings, with some press outlets comparing…

Looking to complete your Outdoor Explorer Mission but not quite sure where to start? Let Parks Canada help you out! From the Pacific to the Atlantic and everything in between, you’ll be able to find a great spot to get outside and start exploring…and it’s probably a lot closer than you think! Check out this list of National Parks that can help you discover the natural world around you. Haven’t accepted your Outdoor Explorer Mission yet? Click this button to get started 1. Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (3hr from Vancouver; 30min from Victoria) If you’re looking for reefs,…

What’s on the menu for a swift fox? You tell us! We’ve listed below a bunch of food options, guess which ones the swift fox will eat then find the answer by clicking on each photo. 1) Field mouse Click the photo to find the answer 2) Atlas Moth Click the photo to find the answer 3) Rabbit Click the photo to find the answer 4) Coyote Click the photo to find the answer 5) Grasshopper Click the photo to find the answer 6) Prairie dog Click the photo to find the answer 7) Falcon Click the photo to find the answer 8) Carrion Click the photo to find the answer 9) Grass Click the photo to find…

Most animals are raised under cruel conditions and fed a diet of antibiotics and corn. Learn more from John Sally about the food you eat. http://www.takepart.com/foodinc Author: TakePart Keywords: John Salley on Not Eating Animals Added: December 31, 1969

Roz Savage is rowing solo across the Pacific Ocean in 3 stages. She completed Stage 1 in 2008, becoming the first woman ever to row solo from California to Hawaii. Stage 2 launched on May 24, 2009, and will take her from Hawaii down into the South Pacific. Stage 3 will take place in 2010, ending in Australia. If successful she will be the first woman ever to row solo across the Pacific. In this week\s video she talks about audio entertainment, and provides an update on her progress.This video was filmed by Roz Savage and edited by Dawn…

Beaverdam Creek subwatershed is an incredibly unique area of primarily publicly owned forest and agricultural land in the middle of the Washington Metropolitan Area. The headwaters of the Anacostia River are found in this subwatershed. Beaverdam Creek subwatershed is an area of unique beauty in the midst of suburban development, it is also home to a number of problems ranging from uncontrolled stormwater runoff, trash and eroding streambanks. In addition, the best and healthiest portion of the subwatershed is under constant pressure from various development…

http://www.takepart.com/foodincIn Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation\s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government\s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation\s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens,…

Chido Govero, a dynamic 23-year old woman from rural Zimbabwe, is training her fellow orphan girls to grow critically-needed food â using little more than coffee pulp and grass clippings â and receiving vital support from California-based artisan coffee company, Equator Coffees, and the ZERI Foundation, which specializes in international sustainable development. Zimbabwe, a landlocked southern African nation roughly the size of Montana, has been besieged in recent years by a controversial land redistribution…

GM has set pricing and final towing specs for the upcoming turbodiesel-powered 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The new mid-size diesel will be alone in its segment when it goes on sale later this year. Powered by a 2.8-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine, the Colorado will be rated at 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It incorporates a...

From The Car Connection: 2016 Kia Sedona Review With its 2015 redesign, the Kia Sedona became much more competitive in terms of space, functionality, and refinement, and the 2016 model only adds features, including a standard rearview camera. Get $1,000 If You Convince A Friend To Buy A Tesla Model S (Note: You Have To Own A Tesla, Too) Across...

Volkswagen has announced a recall of select Audi SQ5 crossovers from the 2014 and 2015 model years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of those vehicles may suffer from a software glitch that could cause them to lose power steering in cold weather. CHECK OUT: Audi A4 Vs. BMW 3-Series: Compare Cars Suspicions were...

Cadillac ATS owners, we have some bad news. Remember in February, when we told you that the ATS sedan was being recalled because of problems with the sunroof switch? According to Auto News, the ATS is being recalled again for the same problem. It appears that the fix initially offered by Cadillac -- the addition of a trim plate to protect the...

Both the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, in just a few generations, have gone from also-rans to tough mid-size rivals for vehicles such as the Nissan Altima, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. It's all for good reason, thanks to great styling, excellent fuel economy, available hybrid models, and class-leading value. If you have your eyes on this South...

What's our new champion for the greenest sports car you can likely afford? And, who's built a plug-in hybrid with armor plating--and why? This is our video look back at the Week In Reverse--right here at Green Car Reports--for the week ending on Friday, July 31, 2015. Friday, we described the new version of Portland's Electric Avenue, a bank of...

Solar-powered cars are typically custom-built affairs that prioritize function over form. Their shapes are usually dictated by aerodynamics and the placement of solar panels, and there's often room for only one occupant. But this solar-powered vehicle has a whole lot more style. DON'T MISS: VW Bus Hybrid That Never Was: The Microbus Prototype Of...

Today, BMW mulls an all-electric SUV, Congress passes fairer tax rules for natural gas, and Portland's Electric Avenue electric-car charging area moves and expands. All this and more on Green Car Reports. We have more information on Toyota's plans to expand California hydrogen fueling infrastructure for the 2016 Mirai. Congress passes new tax...

Battery-electric vehicles with ranges of 150 to 200 miles and prices under $50,000 are now on the horizon from Chevrolet, Nissan, and Tesla, but details of BMW's entry into that segment are less visible. On the higher end, we know that German luxury makers Audi and Mercedes-Benz plan pricey all-electric sedans and SUVs with ranges of 250-plus...

Have you ever thought about the carbon footprint of your money? Everything we use has to be transported from place to place, including the cash in our wallets. And the big, hulking diesel armored trucks that move money around are hardly the most fuel-efficient vehicles. DON'T MISS: Armored Electric Chinese Police Patrol Car Is ... Words Fail Us...

When it gets below freezing I get ice buildup on the inside. I currently have the insulated door on the inside with the single pane on the outside. Sounds like your insulated door is not so insulated or weatherstripping leaks around the door/ frame. Question? Is this door/ room near the dryer vent or an area that has...

I am doing a science experiment but I live in Puerto Rico so I have no idea because we don't have cold weather here Regarding your experiment and giving it some practical thought. Heat always travels from hot to cold (heat transfer) so if you want to reduce the heat from escaping from your...

The poolhouse has a concrete floor. The pool filter drains into the storm sewer. Trenching & tying in to my home sanitary sewer is not an option due to grade, buried electric, cable, gas lines & sprinkler system, as well as location ( sewer ties in on the opposite side of house ). The prior owners put in a porta-potty; I am looking for a more aesthetically pleasing solution. Incinerator toilet? Grinder/macerator plus ___? Some sort of filtration? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Composting or an incinerator are the only type you can use - you can not pump black water into…

We are planning to re-install a salvaged engineered hardwood floating floor, but need to get a new underlayment mat. Homasote makes a product called 'comfort floor' which is intended to be an underlayment product. Homasote's products are made with 100% recycled paper and have no harmful emissions that I...

Hillary Clinton recently issued a renewable energy vision fact sheet that sets aggressive goals for solar and renewables as it acknowledges climate change. The document establishes Clinton as one of the few renewable energy advocates (and climate change conspiracists) in the 2016 presidential race.read more

My small bungalow in Long Beach, New York, sits one half block from the bay and one and a half blocks from the ocean. Hurricane Sandy required a gut renovation of my home's ground floor and required my next-door neighbors to demolish their house and rebuild a new one. But rebuild they did.read more

Thirteen companies took a public stand for climate action at the White House recently, pledging to reduce heat-trapping emissions, increase clean energy investments, improve efficiency, and support efforts to reach a global climate agreement this year in Paris.read more

As the Paris Climate agreement approaches, we are seeing signs of a far different process from the last-minute confusion in Copenhagen. The latest sign of progress towards a successful Paris agreement is the release of a shortened draft negotiating text -- produced by the two co-chairs of the negotiations.read more

The productivity of natural gas wells in the Marcellus Shale and the neighboring Utica Shale is steadily increasing because of ongoing improvements in precision and efficiency of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing occurring in those regions.read more

One of the wonderful things about being eco friendly is that it often saves you money too. It’s really not the time consuming, expensive challenge many think it is. There are lots of simple, money saving things you can do to be a little kinder to the planet. In the Home 1. Change your lightbulbs […] Related posts: Save Money on Environmentally Friendly Laundry Detergent – Money Saving Mondays Organic Foods on the Cheap – Money Saving Mondays 7 Eco Friendly Home Business Ideas for 2013

Gardening is a great activity to do with kids, starting when they’re pretty young. Kids love to see things grow, whether you start from seeds or buy young plants at the garden center. But one of the best things about gardening with kids is growing foods that they can snack on. Even kids who are […] Related posts: Snacking Garden – Day 13 of 30 Days of Healthy Homemade Summer Treats Encouraging Kids to Garden Yes! My Garden Grows!

Raising kids with a green lifestyle can be difficult at times. Toddlers can be especially tricky, as they become aware of wanting particular things, not just what you give them. They start to have more opinions, and don’t always want to do things your way. It takes effort to raise a green toddler. Here are […] Related posts: How Can You Be Eco Friendly With Your Toddler? How to Make Toddler Stage Baby Food Making Green Fun for Your Kids

Most preschoolers get a ton of toys for birthdays and Christmas. It makes for quite a mess around the house, and a lot of toys that only rarely get played with. Not that the kids won’t consider each utterly precious, to be given up only with great reluctance, but as most parents know, enough is […] Related posts: Buy Christmas Gifts That Encourage Kids to do More Outdoor Activities 7 Handmade Gifts You Can Make With Your Kids What to do About All the Non Eco Friendly Gifts Your Kids Want

California recently became the first state to pass a plastic bag ban. It goes into effect for grocery stores, pharmacies and other food retailers July 1, 2015. It should reduce that particular kind of litter, but it does have its problems. I’ve seen some comment that it will increase water waste, as reusable bags […] Related posts: Use Reusable Shopping Bags – Green Step by Step Are You Wasting Reusable Bags? Have You Picked Up the Reusable Shopping Bag Habit?

Life on Earth is one big extended family click on the graphic above for a larger view Based on the work of Dr. Richard Dawkins in his book The Ancestor’s Tale, this Tree of Life infographic from evogeneao.com colorfully demonstrates the evolutionary relationships of life on Earth. Leonard Eisenberg, a retired oil industry geologist, developed the site as a volunteer project for his children’s schools to help teachers educate their students about evolution. He created the infographic to counter the creationist themes he saw creeping into basic scientific curriculums.

EarthTalk® is a weekly environmental column made available to our readers from the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: What’s the latest with the U.S. Postal Service trying to reduce its environmental footprint? Starting delivery of some mail on Sundays doesn’t seem like a step in the right direction. — Kerry Rawlings, Albany, NY As recent TV ads have been telling us, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has recently started delivering some mail on Sunday in what most chalk up to an effort to stay one step ahead of United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal…

Eco News Roundup for June 26: Resources from around the world to help live a more eco-friendly lifestyle This week features tips for adopting green energy in your home. How about the new trend toward “tiny houses” and living off-grid? Learn how physical and mental health improves with access to green spaces. Finally, we look at 13 apps you can use to help you lower your carbon footprint. Enjoy and please leave any suggestion for next week’s roundup in the comments section. Enjoy! Tips for Green Energy Over the past few years, many residential energy consumers from all over…

Extroverts Are Found Least Likely To Be ‘Living Green,’ New Study Says Extroverts were found to be the least likely group to adopt a green lifestyle in a new study. Extroverts are the least likely to adopt a green lifestyle, according to new research from the University of Portsmouth Business School.The study examined people over the age of 50 to try and see if personality type affects how green a person actually is. The results concluded that those who had “open” personalities were the most green and extroverts were the least. The study’s findings, published in the journal…

A version of this post first appeared on GlobalWarmingisReal.com At a time when the influence of institutional religion is waning in many part of the world, Pope Francis remains one of the most trusted and popular people on Earth. Leader of an estimated 1.2 billion Catholics across the world, Francis has put the weight of his authority squarely behind a global call to action to stop what he calls “the ecological crisis” we all now face. Typically, a Papal Encyclical issued by the Pope is a top-level teaching document addressed to Catholics. In recent decades encyclicals have…

The LA Times reports: Santa Barbara City Council members on Tuesday unanimously approved spending $55 million to reactivate a mothballed desalination plant that could provide the city with nearly a third of its drinking water. CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara working to reactivate mothballed desalination plant The Charles E. Meyer Desalination Facility was built during a drought in the 1990s but closed in 1992 when desperation for water subsided. The plant was never utilized beyond a testing period, but the city maintained it in the event that a severe water shortage might once again threaten the…

Reuters reports: Chile’s salmon farmers are using record levels of antibiotics to treat a virulent and pervasive bacteria, driving away some U.S. retailers including Costco Wholesale Corp, which is turning to antibiotic-free Norwegian salmon. The coastal waters of Chile, the world’s second-largest producer of salmon, are awash with a bacteria known as SRS, or Piscirickettsiosis. The bacteria causes lesions and haemorrhaging in infected fish, and swells their kidneys and spleens, eventually killing them. Unable to develop an effective vaccine, Chilean farmers have been forced to…

* Save a full-time community college student $3,800 in tuition per year on average * Benefit roughly 9 million students each year via The President Proposes to Make Community College Free for Responsible Students for 2 Years | The White House.

It’s really time for us to go to bat – hard – for animals, as Costa Rica has done: http://inhabitat.com/costa-rica-becomes-first-latin-american-country-to-ban-hunting-for-sport/ And this: http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/03/28/costa-rica-fighting-right-shut-down-its-zoos

The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us. E. O. Wilson When I was a kid, there was a riddle that went along these lines: A hunter is approached by a cougar, a mountain lion, and a puma. He has only one bullet left. What should he shoot first to ensure his safety? The answer then was that it didn’t matter; a cougar, mountain lion and puma are all the same animal (technically the puma is a subspecies of the…

Tell me I’m clever, Tell me I’m kind, Tell me I’m talented, Tell me I’m cute, Tell me I’m sensitive, Graceful and wise, Tell me I’m perfect— But tell me the truth. -Shel Silverstein When Jacob was a baby he was clever, cute, and perfect in every way like babies should be, but he had horrible eczema: you can see the patches on his cheeks in the photo above. They call eczema “the itch that rashes” and “asthma of the skin” and it’s heartbreaking to witness as a parent; he was clearly in distress all the time, scratching,…

I am losing precious days. I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in this trivial world of men. I must break away and get out into the mountains to learn the news. -John Muir I’ve written before about nature prescriptions and the health benefits of getting outside in the sunshine, but not until recently have I felt like this was a pill I myself needed to swallow. I’m tired all the time, uninspired; my head feels fuzzy and clouded; I’m disconnected, dispassionate, wanting to write but not really and unable to find the words…

Have you heard about the new NATE Certified RESNET HERS Rater HVAC Performance Verifier Certification? Get it now for only $399 - no hidden fees, no extra charges. Join our 1-day pre-conference workshop in Wilmington, NC and earn the new certification! After joining the North Carolina Building Performance Association (NCBPA), we were invited to offer two full-day workshops in advance of the 2015 NCBPA Conference in Wilmington, NC.read more

The rise of solar power means individuals, communities, our society, and the earth can reap the benefits of renewable energy. This is such an exciting time for us as we embrace personal responsibility, lower energy bills, and just the plain satisfaction found in being resourceful enough to harness the free and reliable power of the sun. But before you jump in headfirst, make sure you are well-versed on the initial investment, the type of system you specifically need, and how to get the most out of solar power.read more

I just had the pleasure of attending an info session hosted by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) in regard to its new sustainability certification program. We've written about this topic before - about our excitement for an official sustainability certification. This particular webinar focused on the Beta testing process for the new ISSP-SA and ISSP-CSP exams, which is a sign that we are one step closer to this program going live!read more

We are excited to announce that we've joined the North Carolina Building Performance Association (NCBPA), a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing the home performance industry through public education, workforce development, advocacy, and more. Everblue's sustainability training services directly align with the NCBPA goals, and we're proud to be associated with like-minded professionals in our home state! read more

Young people and students can get big savings on rail travel with a £20 OFF three-year 16-25 Railcard promo code offer. Enjoy 1/3 OFF train travel in Britain and SAVE on average £537* over three years. To get this deal you must apply online before your 24th birthday (at least a few days before to be on the safe side). Here’s the latest and up to date online exclusive three-year 16-25 student railcard promo code offers. SAVE £20 16-25 Student Three-Year Railcard Promo Code Offer *** Online Exclusive Offer *** SAVE £20 (22%) on the cost of three one-year railcards 1/3 OFF Train Travel in…

Saving money on train fares has never been easier with a 2015 three-year £20 OFF Family and Friends Railcard promo code offer. With a Family and Friends Railcard families or groups of friends with kids get 1/3 OFF adult, and 60% OFF kids train travel in Britain. It pays to get a three-year Family and Friends Railcard as you will SAVE £20 compared to buying three one-year railcards. Here’s the latest and up to date online exclusive 2015 one-year and three-year Family and Friends Railcard promo code offers. SAVE £20 Family and Friends Three-Year Railcard Promo Code Offer *** Online…

Pink waterlily in the pond at the National Trust’s Hidcote Manor Garden, Gloucestershire – Green Abode images/Chris P King If you’ve been following us for a while you’ll know that we are big fans of the National Trust as it ticks all the right boxes. Here’s 10 ways that becoming a National Trust member might change your life. 1. You Become an Ultimate Explorer As a National Trust member, you have unlimited access to over 500 places, including houses, nature reserves, castles, woods and even gold mines. With so much variety, it’s easy to become hooked on exploring. But…

The Two Together Railcard promotional code gives you reductions on the railcard in 2015, before you get 1/3 OFF savings on train travel. This is the perfect railcard to save money in Britain for couples, friends, colleagues, or any two people travelling together. Here’s the latest and up to date online exclusive 2015 Two Together promotional code offers. 15% OFF Two Together Railcard Promotional Code *** Online Exclusive Offer *** 15% (£4.50) OFF a Two Together Railcard Pay £24.50 instead of £30 Use Voucher Code: IHS15 Offer ends: tbc Get 15% OFF Two Together Railcard >> 10% OFF…

With a 2015 Railcard promotional code you can get money off the price of Railcards in Britain. That’s just the start though as you’ll get at least 1/3 OFF train travel in Britain. As well as National Railcards, did you know there’s a total of 20 Railcards available in Britain? We’ll show you how to get big savings with a 2015 Railcard promotional code, and how you can get savings with regional Railcards in Britain. 2015 Railcard Promotional Code Discounts & Other Railcards – Quick Links 16-25 Railcard Promotional Code – 15% OFF 2015 Online Offer…

This is my last post for the time being on Sustainable Cities Collective and I want to take the opportunity to explain how I have come to understand the great value that it has. What will life be like for urban citizens in the future? The answer may depend upon whether you or your descendants will be living in a city which has implemented many of the ideas already covered on this website.read more

Many people assume roads became the way they are today because of the rise of automobiles. In Roads Were Not Built for Cars, Carlton Reid explains that infrastructure for bicycles, tricycles, and more were the precursors to the later transportation system dominated by automobiles. read more

A beautiful summer afternoon formed the backdrop to a 15,000-strong demonstration against racism and intolerance in Helsinki today. The demonstration was prompted by a racist and xenophobic Facebook post by a member of parliament from the nationalist-populist(-racist) Perussuomalaiset (“True Finns”) party.read more

OuiShare Fest is an international gathering in Paris of sharing economy pioneers, enthusiasts and organizers. This year’s explored numerous aspects of the sharing economy, collaboration, technological developments and human connectedness. Here are 10 videos of the top presentations.read more

As drones become cheaper and more technologically advanced, some cities, like Jakarta, are using drones to improve road and traffic safety in congested areas. (Photo: basibanget / Flickr) A few days ago (July 28-30), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) met in California to discuss the future of personal and commercial drone use. NASA’s eagerness to deliberate on drones comes as a response to rising drone use across the globe, with companies like Google and Amazon scrambling to figure out how they can use drones to deliver goods and survey areas. For example, Amazon…

To combat rising rates of private vehicle ownership and ensure a healthy, sustainable future for their citizens, Indian cities—like Jodhpur—need to focus on making bike share work for the local context. (Photo: Tomas Belcik / Flickr) Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS), or bike share, as it is more popularly known, was first introduced in Amsterdam in 1965. While the concept spread to various European cities, it remained largely experimental in nature and small in scale. It wasn’t until the late 1990s and early 2000s—with the incorporation of advanced smartcards and progress in Information…

With the upcoming United Nations Climate Conference, the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases are promising to double down on their efforts to reduce emissions. (Photo: Mariana Gil / WRI Brasil | EMBARQ Brasil) Though our planet is home to one hundred and ninety independent nations, the UN Climate Conference in Paris this December reminds us that all countries share a single, collective future. Indeed, in order to keep the global temperature rise from rising more than 2 ° C., all nations will have to agree on climate action. Therefore, the participation and commitment of all 190…

Good urban governance begins with open access to information. São Paulo, Brazil offers a number of lessons for making data accessible and encouraging public participation. (Photo: Gabi Sakamoto / Flickr) How do we make cities work for people? As a WRI Helms Fellow on Urban Governance and Sustainable Cities, Maria Antonia Tigre was tasked with answering this question. Through From ideas to implementation: making sustainable cities through governance here on TheCityFix, Maria will draw on her field research in two Brazilian cities—Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo—to explore the key governance…

It can often be difficult for residents–like those of Wuxi, China–to know how their homes perform compared to similar homes. Benchmarking fills this knowledge gap, helping the city improve building performance. Photo by Mr Thinktank / Flickr. Urban residents around the world have different daily routines, but they share something in common that often goes unappreciated. Let’s take the example of how a city dweller in China spends an average day: 8 hours of work activities 30 minutes of study or training, at home or school 1.5 hours eating meals, at home, work, or a restaurant 4…

It’s inspiring to think that no matter how much we achieve as a technological species, there will always be more firsts for the record books.On July 10th, a whole new page was added, as two French pilots successfully completed the English Channel crossing in a light, entirely battery-powered aircraft.Since brothers Orville and Wilbur got their Wright Flyer off the ground at Kitty Hawk in 1903, the world of aviation has enjoyed over a century of spirited competition. Go further. Get there first. Get there faster. And, especially more recently, get there more efficiently. The channel crossing…

Obama_White_House_InitiativeLower income Americans pay more for energy as a percentage of their total income than more affluent residents, but they’re generally in a bad position to implement renewable, long-term cost-saving solutions. This week, the Obama administration announced a new energy initiative to remove some of the barriers and increase access to solar power for low-and moderate-income Americans.President Obama’s 2013 Climate Action Plan originally called for 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to be installed in federally-subsidized housing by 2020. With commitments already…

Anyone with scissors, thread, and access to a craft website can upcycle old t-shirts into tote bags, but it takes a multinational corporation like Google to upcycle a decommissioned coal power plant into a data center.Widows Creek Fossil Plant – originally posted to Flickr by TVA Web TeamThe Widows Creek Fossil Plant in northeast Alabama, currently run by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) electrical utility, is scheduled to shut down operations in October 2015. Google plans to take over a portion of the site in early 2016, repurposing existing infrastructure to support a brand new,…

It wasn’t Honolulu, or Los Angeles, or Austin, or Phoenix or San Jose. No, the U.S. city that installed more solar power than any other in 2014 was …Part of the 9-megawatt solar array at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Photo provided by Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Indianapolis?Yep. Indianapolis added a whopping 51 megawatts of solar capacity in 2014. San Diego was next with 42 MW added, followed by Los Angeles (38 MW) and Denver (33 MW). The data comes from the 2015 and 2014 Shining Cities reports from Environment America.Cumulatively, LA has more solar than any U.S. city, with 170 MW…

California’s cap-and-trade program brings in money when carbon allowances are auctioned. A lot of money – about $1.49 billion in the current fiscal year alone, the state said last week. The law requires that “the state invest at least 10 percent of the auction proceeds within the most disadvantaged communities and at least 25 percent of the proceeds be invested to benefit these communities.”And that’s why Roy Rivera, a disabled man who lives on a fixed income in Sacramento, now has solar on his roof – and more than 1,600 similarly low-income households will as well.California…

Cosmetic dentistry is one of the newest dental practices in the world of dental health. Cosmetic dentistry normally enhances the appearance of your teeth. It main aim is to see you happy and satisfied with your smile. It ensures, therefore, that your teeth are aligned well at all times. If you would like to enhance the looks of your teeth, it is good to visit cosmetic Dentists in Highlands Ranch. Cosmetic dentists can help you enhance the looks of your teeth a big deal. Before you visit dentists for cosmetic dentistry, you need to establish what you need. It is important for you to know what…

Gastonia roofing contractors can help you solve smaller and more serious roofing problems alike. You can hire them for small repairs, for complete roof installations and everything in between – you can be sure they will do an excellent job. Roofing problems need to be addressed immediately. While this is a no-brainer if your roof is swept off by a storm, in the case of small leaks the necessity of quick repairs is not so obvious. When I noticed the first signs of roofing damage – small damp patches in the rooms of the house – , I didn’t realize that I might be faced with a…

Throughout time, concrete has become one of the most popular roofing material in the entire US. It is suitable for almost any roofing style, especially for ranch or cottage mansions. Apart from its great benefits, concrete is affordable. It provides a traditional look, which is great, particularly for those who like classic or old fashion styles. Here is a list of the main benefits of concrete – Austin roofing specialists can confirm them: • Fireproofing. Concrete is resistant to fire and that increases the level of protection for your home. Therefore, even if there is a fire nearby,…

Performing inspections and repairs at least two times per year is key to maintaining your roof in a good condition, which is the reason why hiring Dallas roofing companies to check up on your roof from time to time is the right thing to do. Roofs are exposed to the elements, and they need help from time to time if they are to withstand the weather successfully. If you wonder why so many people have damaged roofs, and why some replace them so often, it’s because they neglect them for a long period of time. No matter how strong and resistant a roof is, you need to inspect it for damage at…

There is nothing easier than finding a Dallas commercial roofing company -check out http://www.jntdevelopers.com -that will fulfill all your needs. If you are a commercial building owner, your needs are all the more important. A commercial roofing project is a bit more challenging than simple residential roofing. Moreover, the investment is quite big, so you will want to take all the measures necessary to ensure that it is also a long lasting investment. The most important measure towards a successful investment is finding a good contractor. This is not at all hard, for two reasons: first of…

In skimming through the recent articles on the Sustainable Cities Collective, I came across one that featured a story about an Austrian “Smart Buildings Program” at the University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg. One of the projects for students was probing the design for the most efficient supermarket, effectively built to Passivhaus standards–which any American architect will tell you is ambitious for a retail entity that relies so heavily on cooling. Given that our country’s food system is highly carbon-intensive, a study for how its sale and distribution can be more…

If the goal is to limit the overcrowding of cars on the street, is it a better solution to dilute density in order to spread people out or to foster the ability for more people to carry out more of their day via alternative transit? Is the best way to avoid excessive signage and light pollution to forcibly segregate all commercial program or might it be easier to simply regulate sizes for signage and candlepower for lighting? In an effort to limit the amount of cooking odors disturbing nearby residences, would it make more sense to remove proximity of all retail business or to set standards…

Too often, we find ourselves in new suburban developments that are little more than a watered down model of a historic precedent. With large swaths of sub-divided into saleable parcels, the go-to combination of a windy road, ample lawns and a smattering of colonial reminiscing can get the property off the hands of a developer into the eager grasp of new tenants. But when it comes to actually fostering a sense of community, more often than not we see houses thrown up in reasonable proximity with hopes for the best. This method leaves a lot of clubs in the bag for crafting variables entirely…

Density plays a key role in the creation of a walkable, pedestrian-oriented, sustainable community. Though there are examples of denser development patterns that are not walkable, it is hard to create walkability without hitting a certain threshold of units per acre, so bolstering the streetscape with new buildings can be important for the sustainable aspirations of a young municipality. However, for cities like New York, density is not a recent phenomenon. The city has been building since its inception, which has lead to density not only being achieved from new construction, but in large…

When most of us manage to carve out the time, money and effort required to clock out of the daily grind for a while, the top priority is stepping away from the nagging mundane worries that are waiting for us every morning. Vacation spots excel at helping to push thoughts of the job, the commute, the chores and the bills to the side in deference to an image of luxury, if only to be enjoyed for a short time. Given Gallup’s recent numbers on where the environment sits in the list of priorities for Americans, chances are that sustainability doesn’t rank high on most of our vacation…

Amgad Elmahdi, Manager Water Resources Assessment Section at Australian Bureau of Meteorology

2 Aug 2015 | 1:10 pm

A water treatment pond. Image courtesy Seqwater, Author providedIf you live in an Australian city, there’s a good chance that your water comes from surface water such as streams, rivers and reservoirs filled by rainfall and runoff. If you live in Perth, much of your water (about 40%) comes from groundwater. But you might be surprised to know that a sizeable proportion of water in Australia came from recycling or desalination in 2013-14. 39% of Perth’s water came from desalination and 41% of Adelaide’s. All cities also used small portions of recycled water: Melbourne (4%), Sydney (7%),…

Bill Laurance, Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate at James Cook University

2 Aug 2015 | 1:10 pm

We know a lot about what climate change will do, but 'when' is a tougher question. Nick Kim“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future": so goes a Danish proverb attributed variously to baseball coach Yogi Berra and physicist Niels Bohr. Yet some things are so important — such as projecting the future impacts of climate change on the environment — that we obviously must try. An Australian study published last week predicts that some rainforest plants could see their ranges reduced 95% by 2080. How can we make sense of that given the plethora of climate…

David Hodgkinson, Associate Professor at University of Western Australia

30 Jul 2015 | 11:37 pm

It might be nice if buying the right to emit greenhouse pollution could be made a bit simpler. Oleandra/Shutterstock.comWriting recently on The Conversation, Clive Hamilton correctly pointed out that an emissions trading scheme (ETS) can in no sense be called a tax – the two are fundamentally different. Under an ETS, the amount of emissions is fixed by the government and the market then sets the price; under a carbon tax, the price of emissions is fixed and polluters decide how much to emit. In this sense, Hamilton is right to opine that “emissions trading is the opposite of a carbon…

Too much meat is bad for our health and the environment, so why not tax it while giving veggies a free pass? AAP Image/Dan PeledReform of Australia’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) is firmly back on the political agenda. There has been plenty of focus on whether the tax rate should be lifted, but less on whether it could be made more sophisticated in its social effects as well as its economic ones. Here is one suggestion: adding GST to meat. Food has a special tax-exempt status in several countries around the world, including Australia, where it is not included in the GST. Most American…

Ken Baldwin, Director, Energy Change Institute at Australian National University

29 Jul 2015 | 11:31 pm

The prime minister described Labor's renewables pledge as "truly bizarre". AAP Image/Mick Tsikas(It) will mean a massive bill, perhaps A$60 billion or more, that will have to be carried by the consumers of Australia. – Prime Minister Tony Abbott, speaking to reporters about Labor’s plan to source half the nation’s power from renewable energy sources by 2030, July 27, 2015. Abbott’s quote, a response to the new Labor policy to set a goal of 50% renewable energy by 2030, appears to be drawing on reported comments by Paul Hyslop, chief executive of ACIL Allen - the company…

If the activity on Twitter is anything to go by, many of us are on a decluttering mission this summer. Those long sunny days make you want to get your home in order before the autumn arrives. Even Mr Green, aka my hoarding husband, is on a mission to declutter his garage before September approaches! […]

Throughout my working life I’ve worked in varying sized companies. I ran the office for a bakery and a restaurant in a golf club where it was just me, myself and I. I’ve worked for the Bank of England with it’s thousands of employees. I’ve worked for a large supermarket chain and now I work […]

Happy Recycle Week 2015! It was back in 2008 when we launched this site during Recycle Week. And what a journey it’s been! Organised by WRAP and Recycle Now, the theme for Recycle Week 2015 is ‘Recycling around the home’. This is a great theme that you can take on board, regardless of where you’re […]

Did you know there are Zero Waste Bloggers all around the world? Inge, from Gruenish in Oregon, had the foresight to bring us all together in a network. At the time of writing this post we have 39 members from US, UK, CA, FR, DE, AU, PL and beyond. One of her ideas was for […]

You know I live with a hoarder, right? I’d love to show you a picture of the inside of our garage, but I fear the judgment. It really does look like a jumble sale Aladdin’s Cave in there. Although Mr Green promises everything has a use and purpose and will come in useful ‘one day’, […]

Anschutz Exploration Corp. began drilling two natural gas wells at this site in Big Flats, N.Y., in 2010. Last month’s Environmental Protection Agency draft report on fracking’s impact on U.S. drinking water served up a sound-bite gift to the energy industry for its fight against the spread of state and local fracking bans. While the 998-page report cited specific instances where gas drilling contaminated water wells, the nation’s headline writers by a wide margin seized on the take-away line from the executive summary: The EPA “did not find evidence” that modern hydraulic…

After a horrific winter, Northeast and Midwest boomers are coming in waves to seek warm weather in America’s Southeast. Homes in the cold Northeast and Midwest are being sold and, with cash in hand for many boomers, the search is on for a warm retirement location for their golden years. Most guides to retirement rank places by cost-of-living, climate, cultural offerings or personal interests. Few offer any information on the environment. So before you decide where to invest, it is important to see how prospective communities have handled everything from massive, Chinese-owned pig…

Propane trucks load at Teppco’s terminal in Watkins Glen After failing to convince Congress to fix the root causes of propane shortages and price spikes that rocked the Midwest and Northeast last winter, the U.S. propane industry is now throwing its full weight behind a secretive underground storage project in western New York. Industry’s renewed support for that private sector option comes after Congress gutted a 2014 bill to scope out and fund regional propane storage sites. Now even the make-do private solution is in serious jeopardy. State regulators have already taken five years…

Hundreds gathered on an icy January day in Geneva to protest Crestwood Midstream’s proposed LPG storage project at the other end of Seneca Lake. (Photo: Peter Mantius) For decades, scientists have puzzled over why Seneca Lake, the largest of New York State’s Finger Lakes, is by far the saltiest of the 11 glacier-carved water bodies. Now a Nevada hydrologist claims he’s solved the mystery. Tom Myers, who was hired by opponents of a plan to store liquid petroleum gas (LPG) in salt caverns at the southern end of Seneca, pins the blame on LPG storage in the same group of caverns between…

Gov. Martin O’Malley Two ambitious Democratic governors in the East faced the same tough choice late last year on whether to allow energy companies to extract natural gas from shale formations through high-volume hydrofracking. One said yes. The other said no. Neither state has much natural gas to tap at current market prices. Even so, the decisions by Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland and Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York have national implications because they sat in judgment of the importance of the latest independent science. While environmental and medical experts were pointing to dozens…

Aerial view of center-pivot irrigationDrought has become a consistent feature of the western United States. A changing climate is leaving the area drier year-round, with natural and man-made reservoirs slowly becoming depleted. Driven by necessity, innovators in Colorado are coming up with ingenious ways to cut water consumption, getting hydropower as a bonus.Much of the west coast’s water comes from the Colorado river, which, as its name suggests, originates high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The current drought is most severe at the end of the line in Nevada and California, but…

It’s inspiring to think that no matter how much we achieve as a technological species, there will always be more firsts for the record books.On July 10th, a whole new page was added, as two French pilots successfully completed the English Channel crossing in a light, entirely battery-powered aircraft.Since brothers Orville and Wilbur got their Wright Flyer off the ground at Kitty Hawk in 1903, the world of aviation has enjoyed over a century of spirited competition. Go further. Get there first. Get there faster. And, especially more recently, get there more efficiently. The channel crossing…

Obama_White_House_InitiativeLower income Americans pay more for energy as a percentage of their total income than more affluent residents, but they’re generally in a bad position to implement renewable, long-term cost-saving solutions. This week, the Obama administration announced a new energy initiative to remove some of the barriers and increase access to solar power for low-and moderate-income Americans.President Obama’s 2013 Climate Action Plan originally called for 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to be installed in federally-subsidized housing by 2020. With commitments already…

Anyone with scissors, thread, and access to a craft website can upcycle old t-shirts into tote bags, but it takes a multinational corporation like Google to upcycle a decommissioned coal power plant into a data center.Widows Creek Fossil Plant – originally posted to Flickr by TVA Web TeamThe Widows Creek Fossil Plant in northeast Alabama, currently run by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) electrical utility, is scheduled to shut down operations in October 2015. Google plans to take over a portion of the site in early 2016, repurposing existing infrastructure to support a brand new,…

It wasn’t Honolulu, or Los Angeles, or Austin, or Phoenix or San Jose. No, the U.S. city that installed more solar power than any other in 2014 was …Part of the 9-megawatt solar array at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Photo provided by Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Indianapolis?Yep. Indianapolis added a whopping 51 megawatts of solar capacity in 2014. San Diego was next with 42 MW added, followed by Los Angeles (38 MW) and Denver (33 MW). The data comes from the 2015 and 2014 Shining Cities reports from Environment America.Cumulatively, LA has more solar than any U.S. city, with 170 MW…

In yet another clear indication of the nation’s energy future, renewable sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) accounted for nearly 70% (69.75%) of new electrical generation placed in service in the United States during the first six months of 2015. According to the recently-released “Energy Infrastructure Update” report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s [...]

It’s no secret that many of the planets biggest brands are advocates of the environment. But, many small business owners believe that a greener business model is a luxury only afforded to those who have the money to invest into it – but this doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, a green business [...]

Like her or not, her plan for Renewable Energy as described in this video is ambitious. Will it get her elected? The answer is still blowing in the wind, but at least she is addressing it in a way that the renewable energy industry can support. See for yourself and decide whether she deserves your consideration. [...]

North Elba, New York has selected BIOFermTM Energy Systems as the anaerobic digester technology provider for a community organic diversion project expected to begin this year. The small-scale biodigester, designed for source-separated municipal food and organic wastes at a regional level, will be the very first of its kind in the United States, according to the [...]

Seattle, Washington, has one of the highest adoption rates of electric vehicles (EVs) in the nation. With just over one percent of the nation’s population, the Seattle metropolitan area has eight percent of U.S. EV sales. There are over 12,000 electric vehicles registered in the state of Washington, more than half of which are in Seattle. [...]

How can we solve tough environmental and social problems if women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors? How can we change this reality? In June, the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) organized a groundbreaking event on how women can rise to leadership roles in the environmental sector. The topic resonated widely. More than 100 participants came out to the Impact Hub San Francisco to hear from our three esteemed panelists: Savanna Ferguson, California Environmental Associates Francesca Vietor, The San Francisco…

Why are stories important for nonprofit communicators and fundraisers? Through stories, we help people to understand, relate to and remember difficult or complex issues. Stories make emotional connections. We inspire action and engage people through stories. Stories influence thought leaders and decision makers. In this post, I highlight five outstanding online tools and resources to help you share stories that will motivate your audiences. Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences: Presentation innovator Nancy Duarte is the CEO of Duarte Inc. based in Sunnyvale,…

Towering Redwoods, Hendy Woods State Park According to a new report, the struggling and underfunded California state park system can transform into a model of sustainability for park systems worldwide. This new system will be one that protects California’s iconic landscapes, natural resources, and cultural heritage; engages a diversity of Californians; and promotes healthy lifestyles. To achieve this vision, there is a lot of work to be done. The report by the Parks Forward Commission outlines recommendations, actions steps and entities responsible to achieve two-year and…

A common yellowthroat sings loudly while perched on a branch in Oregon’s William L Finley National Wildlife Reserve. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “In winter all the singing is in the tops of the trees,” wrote poet Mary Oliver. Or if you attended San Francisco’s National Philanthropy Day in November, all the singing came from Kat Taylor as she serenaded a room full of fundraisers and philanthropists while accepting this year’s award for “Outstanding Philanthropists.” The Outstanding Philanthropists Award celebrates philanthropists who have made a meaningful and…

American White Pelicans at Briones Reservoir in the East Bay hills Can you recall times when you have felt a tremendous sense of awe or wonder? Where were you? What was happening? What did those moments inspire in you? I oftentimes gain this sense of awe and wonder in the outdoors — whether its marveling at the iconic granite features of Kings Canyon or Yosemite National Park, exhilarated by the discovery of a new bike path, or hiking in a local Bay Area watershed. The feeling gives me a sense of hope about the world and inspires ideas in support of my work. Galloping Goose Regional…

The heat index in Bandar Mahshahr, Iran, . . . reached the stunning height of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. That's a combination of the heat (115 degrees Fahrenheit), . . . with incredibly high humidity dew point, . . . a measure of the moisture in the air reached 90 degrees, . . . a very unusual and very high number, . . . that indicated there was a lot of moisture in the air. People tend to feel the heat more when there is high humidity, . . . because the moisture in the air prevents sweat from evaporating. . . . The evaporation of sweat from the skin helps the body to cool. The National Weather…

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (EPA-CPP), . . . is the nation’s first comprehensive effort, . . . to reduce carbon pollution from existing electric power plants, . . . the single largest source of global warming pollution in the country. The plan sets unique emissions-reduction targets for each state, . . . to achieve by 2030, and . . . gives states flexibility in how to best achieve their goals, . . . such as through deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency. 365 companies, and investor groups, . . . sent letters today to more than 24 governors, across…

1) 34% of electricity — Coal, but it's declining fast 2) 30% of electricity - Natural gas, has surged 3) 20% of electricity - Nuclear power, has stagnated 4) 7% of electricity - Hydropower, the biggest renewable source 5) Wind power, surging in the Midwest and Great Plains 6) Solar, is also growing fast, though it's still pretty tiny 7) Transmission lines - All those power plants require a lot of 8) Coal mining - has shifted from Appalachia to out West 9) 62% of the oil - is produced in the USA 10) Refineries - But that oil first has to make it to refineries to be useful 11) Shale boom is…

Young people and students can get big savings on rail travel with a £20 OFF three-year 16-25 Railcard promo code offer. Enjoy 1/3 OFF train travel in Britain and SAVE on average £537* over three years. To get this deal you must apply online before your 24th birthday (at least a few days before to be on the safe side). Here’s the latest and up to date online exclusive three-year 16-25 student railcard promo code offers. SAVE £20 16-25 Student Three-Year Railcard Promo Code Offer *** Online Exclusive Offer *** SAVE £20 (22%) on the cost of three one-year railcards 1/3 OFF Train Travel in…

Saving money on train fares has never been easier with a 2015 three-year £20 OFF Family and Friends Railcard promo code offer. With a Family and Friends Railcard families or groups of friends with kids get 1/3 OFF adult, and 60% OFF kids train travel in Britain. It pays to get a three-year Family and Friends Railcard as you will SAVE £20 compared to buying three one-year railcards. Here’s the latest and up to date online exclusive 2015 one-year and three-year Family and Friends Railcard promo code offers. SAVE £20 Family and Friends Three-Year Railcard Promo Code Offer *** Online…

Pink waterlily in the pond at the National Trust’s Hidcote Manor Garden, Gloucestershire – Green Abode images/Chris P King If you’ve been following us for a while you’ll know that we are big fans of the National Trust as it ticks all the right boxes. Here’s 10 ways that becoming a National Trust member might change your life. 1. You Become an Ultimate Explorer As a National Trust member, you have unlimited access to over 500 places, including houses, nature reserves, castles, woods and even gold mines. With so much variety, it’s easy to become hooked on exploring. But…

The Two Together Railcard promotional code gives you reductions on the railcard in 2015, before you get 1/3 OFF savings on train travel. This is the perfect railcard to save money in Britain for couples, friends, colleagues, or any two people travelling together. Here’s the latest and up to date online exclusive 2015 Two Together promotional code offers. 15% OFF Two Together Railcard Promotional Code *** Online Exclusive Offer *** 15% (£4.50) OFF a Two Together Railcard Pay £24.50 instead of £30 Use Voucher Code: IHS15 Offer ends: tbc Get 15% OFF Two Together Railcard >> 10% OFF…

With a 2015 Railcard promotional code you can get money off the price of Railcards in Britain. That’s just the start though as you’ll get at least 1/3 OFF train travel in Britain. As well as National Railcards, did you know there’s a total of 20 Railcards available in Britain? We’ll show you how to get big savings with a 2015 Railcard promotional code, and how you can get savings with regional Railcards in Britain. 2015 Railcard Promotional Code Discounts & Other Railcards – Quick Links 16-25 Railcard Promotional Code – 15% OFF 2015 Online Offer…

When I was in the fourth grade something so truly bizarre happened, I actually would be sure I imagined it if there were not other witnesses. I grew up in a super quiet suburb outside Philadelphia. Hours could go by without a car passing. But one morning in 4th grade I woke up to see a bunch of people and cameras directly in front of my house. I went outside to inquire and was told they were filming a Pepsi commercial. Why? Because my front yard had a good hill for skateboarding. The premise of the commercial was that an 11-year-old girl bets her brother she can get a Pepsi before him (or…

I talk a lot about the sharing economy and all the fun, interactive ways to be a part of it. One of my favorite things has been bringing the Buy Nothing Project to Philadelphia and watching it blossom and grow! But my latest obsession is a place to turn when you can’t find the free items you need in your neighborhood, or there isn’t a match for something you have to give – YERDLE! Yerdle is an app that allows you to give and receive using a point system. Items are – however arbitrarily – assigned a point value. The more you give, the more you can get! You just…

My mid-life (OK mid-30s) fitness journey has taken me some places I never thought I’d be: completing The Broad Street Run, entering CrossFit Competitions, hiking backwards up a mountain. I’ve been crossing things off the Bucket List left and right. So a Spartan Sprint seemed like a highly achievable goal. I’d done the Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race which was a 40-minute cakewalk. The obstacles were things like stepping on some tires and crawling through the equivalent of my kids’ play tunnel. Don’t get me wrong – I knew the Spartan would be…

Now this is the kind of stuff that makes me want to write a second book: For months, my 5-year-old Sam and I have been planning a very special project to share with his preschool friends. The school agreed to set aside a time for me to come do a short presentation on “upcycling” with a fun hands-on project – recycling broken, old crayons into new fun-shaped crayons! What a treat it would be to teach the kids a great way to recycle and make a cool craft at the same time! For weeks we collected broken crayons from families and Sam spread the word that “Thursday was…

Juniper Seed Mercantile is proof that luxurious, effective, organic beauty does not have to be expensive. Their motto is “Down To Earth Decadence” allowing you to take care of your skin and the environment at the same time, without spending a fortune! With it’s best availability on Etsy, Juniper Seed Mercantile is grassroots enough to keep you on budget, but savvy enough to package with polish. And that’s why their Etsy shop is blowing up! At only $11, the Soft Whipped Facial Creme Soap with Ground Walnut Shells and Tea Tree Oil is everything I’ve ever…

As the official launch of the Tesla Model X approaches, it seems that every other global automaker is in a hurry to start production of an all-electric SUV and prevent Elon Musk’s company from gaining a huge first-mover advantage in what is expected to be a pretty competitive segment in the years to come. A […] Read the full article: Competition In The Electric SUV Market Starting To Heat Up

As the darkened clouds give way to the sunny skies, and the cold breeze gets overpowered by the warmth of the summer sun, almost everything experiences a refreshing turnaround. The clothes get shorter, the faces get happier, the days get longer, and people’s food choices become a lot cooler. Your signature steaming latte gets replaced with […] Read the full article: 5 Fiber Rich Foods To Eat This Summer

Air conditioning is one of the many modern conveniences that you simply can’t live without. You need it to stay cool and comfortable within your home when the weather outside pushes past “warm” and becomes unbearably hot. The problem is that your air conditioning system may be inefficient when it comes to energy usage. Your bills may […] Read the full article: How An Air Conditioning Tune-Up Can Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

BMW has invested a lot of money in electric vehicles over the recent years, developing and manufacturing some of the most advanced electric cars on the market today, the i3 – which is the first mass-produced vehicle featuring a carbon-fiber body, and the plug-in hybrid i8. Lately, the German car maker has been putting a […] Read the full article: BMW Integrates EV Charging Stations into Street Lights

As the costs of energy, fuel and consumption rise, consumers are becoming more aware of the need to be conservative. To save money, time and resources, we’re starting to make a shift towards green technology. These days, everything is becoming smart to pair up with smartphones and tablets. The idea behind the term “smart” is […] Read the full article: New Technologies That Could Save You a Ton of Energy and Money

Charlie Hales is getting on a plane and headed east to talk climate change for the second time in the past two weeks.The Portland mayor will attend a Monday conference at the White House to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency's...

U.S. Department of the Interior Construction begins on the first commercial scale offshore wind farm, in Rhode Island state waters. Photo: US DOI As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper joined Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo, the state’s congressional delegation and representatives of Deepwater Wind – the project developers, on July 27th – in celebrating an historic “steel…

The Death of Bees Explained, created by the Munich design studio Kurzgesagt with support from the Australian Academy of Science, provides a revealing survey of the various factors scientists believe are causing Colony Collapse Disorder.

Courtesy of Women You Should Know When Gaby Zane was faced with her 5th grade science project assignment she tapped into what she knows best… stuffed animals and kids. As the daughter of two doctors, Gaby thought about what kids must go through when they are in the hospital. In an interview with 9News (Denver, CO) she explained, “Kids probably get stressed that they’re going to have to go through an operation. Stuffed animals really help with staying calm, but they can carry lots of bacteria into the operating room. I thought ‘why not just wash them?’” Along with the help of her…

By Alex Kirby Climate News Network New study says Indonesia could go a quarter of the way to reaching its 2020 target for carbon emissions reduction by ending the destruction of its vital mangrove forests. Semporna, Sabah: Mangroves, seen from the bridge between Kg. Bubul and Sri Jaya Water Village. Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0 Indonesia, one of the world’s largest carbon emitters, would take a major step towards losing that tag by protecting its massive mangrove forests, according to new research. The mangroves, which store prodigious quantities of carbon, are currently…

Courtesy of the European Environment Agency Land and soil are essential for natural systems and human society, but human activities threaten the functioning of the overall land resource, including soil. Why is this happening? What is Europe doing to prevent it? 2015 is the International Year of Soils, so we put these questions to Geertrui Louwagie, project manager for soil assessments and reporting at the European Environment Agency. What are the issues facing land and soil? Land and soil are finite, non-renewable resources, which continue to degrade, affecting their ability to function and…

Cucumbers are growing very nicely in my backyard’s container garden. And looking at the fresh cukes reminded me of my daughter’s favorite kimchi made with cucumbers called Oi-So-Bagi (oh-yee-soh-bah-gi.) It is also one of my favorites because it’s quick and easy to make and you don’t have to wait too long to eat them because they are ready in a day or two, unlike nappa cabbage kimchi. And even though, it doesn’t have as much probiotics as regular kimchi, because it ripens quickly, it’s still refreshing, tasty, and makes great side dishes with any entreé.

Summer always reminds me of past family vacations on New England seaside towns. Digging for clams, collecting sea shells, fishing, having clam bakes, and scarfing down seafood, especially, lobster-by-the-pound, are just a few ways we used to enjoy coastal vacations. And when I say “lobster-by-the-pound“, I don’t mean dining out at fancy restaurants where lobsters already come cleaned, cracked, and garnished with pretty greens. I mean, finding off-the-beaten-path lobster shacks where the dress code is “come-as-you-are” and flip flops are optional. You pick the…

Our basement flooded a few years ago. I was terrified of wet basement getting moldy so I did whatever I could to prevent it. So far, we haven’t noticed any mold growing anywhere or experienced any health problems so we were very lucky. Did you know that about 50% of American homes are affected with mold? In fact, even Suzanne Somers – you know, Chrissy from Three’s Company, a comedy sitcom decades ago? – experienced health problems related to mold that she wrote a book about it. It’s called Tox-Sick. I finished reading it and while it addressed other toxic…

Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet has helped so many people with not only digestive issues but with allergies, skin problems, mental health and others. I put my children on GAPS diet last year in hopes that it will cure their allergies and Eczema. They are still on a modified full GAPS diet and they need constant gut health balancing. The ongoing needs for the balancing is a reminder how fragile our GI tract is and how it creates so many health issues if not healed properly. Raine Irving Saunders, one of the past guests on past Wellness Wednesday, shared her story on how her mental…

Seasonal allergies seem to get worse each year. Researchers from Rutgers University blame warmer weather. Similarly, some studies suggest longer spring and fall seasons due to climate change attribute to prolonged allergy season and more pollens due to carbon dioxide in the air. (Read more here) Regardless how and why seasonal allergies are getting worse and worse, those who are suffering just want relief. But taking antihistamine daily might be out of the question due to side effects. Even nasal sprays stop working after awhile due to ‘rebound effect.’ So how do you relieve…

Win a FREE Lap Desk by sharing your favorite childhood school memory. It will automatically enter you to the raffle drawing the end of the month. A favorite teacher? Favorite sport? A memory from winning a state championship game, or getting into the school of your choice? In the month of August we’re still enjoying summer, but the school year is quickly upon us too. In the spirit of the season (along with our Back to School Sale) Manchester Wood is making this month’s giveaway a FREE Lap Desk with entry by commenting on this blog, emailing us, writing on our Facebook page, or…

Win a FREE Montauk Chair from Manchester Wood! Tell us what you’re grateful for! Write a comment on this blog, on our Facebook page, or mention us on Twitter (@manchesterwood) with what you’re grateful for, and you’ll be entered to win a FREE Montauk Chair in July’s monthly giveaway raffle drawing. The joys of summer have just begun! Enjoy the fireworks, food, and festivities! Let us know what you’re grateful for. You’ll be entered into our monthly raffle drawing for a FREE solid wood furniture piece from Manchester Wood; this month, it’s the Montauk…

American Bald… Turkey? In a letter to his daughter in 1784, Benjamin Franklin wrote that he was displeased that the bald eagle had been chosen as the symbol for the nation. “He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly,” he wrote. “You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk.” A turkey is a far “more respectable” bird, he argued. “Turk’y… [is a] true original Native of America,” Franklin wrote. “He is…

What’s the most delicious way to save the planet? Buying Ben & Jerry’s new “Save Our Swirled” ice cream flavor, aimed specifically at advancing and funding climate change activism, of course. Ben & Jerry’s is launching a global campaign to raise awareness about climate change in advance of the UN climate summit to be held in Paris at the end of this year, where countries are expected to (finally) make binding commitments to reduce carbon emissions, and the company is doing it all with ice cream. On every pint of Save Our Swirled (abbreviated…

Did you know that 2% of road transportation emissions actually come from the roads themselves? Two percent may seem like a paltry amount, but when we’re talking about 2% of almost 6 billion metric tonnes (globally, transport accounts for 13% of total global emissions, estimated at 46 billion metric tonnes), that’s nothing to sneeze at! And, it turns out a number of companies and engineers around the world recognize the need to reduce the environmental impact of roads and are trying to do something about it. Here are three ventures I’ve read about recently: A construction…

Source: Flickr We’re always hearing that renewable electricity generation is too expensive, but how expensive is it really? I was reading an article about the large deployment of low-emission and renewable energy sources in Germany and France (yay!!), but it mentioned that Germany has some of the most expensive retail electricity in the world as a result. That made me wonder, how much more expensive is their electricity in Germany than ours is in the U.S., and is that difference in price really all that big? Would people easily be able to bear that price increase without really…

Wind power is on the rise in the U.S. In fact, 30% of new electricity generating capacity in the U.S. between 2009-2013 came from wind power, and the U.S. could see 35% of its total electricity needs supplied by wind power by 2050 (per the White House). But, people are seriously worried about the noise. The common complaints about wind energy are: Noise made by the turbines (some people have even sued wind farm developers with claims that the noise has caused “wind turbine syndrome” – whose symptoms include headaches and sleeplessness – but the courts have found…

The answer? Almost 467 billion! I was looking through the EPA’s Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (yes, I peruse reports like that out of pure interest; what of it?) and saw that, in 2013, the U.S. offset 881.7 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) through “sinks” (such as forested land that naturally sequesters carbon). That’s 13.21% of total (not net) U.S. emissions for 2013! So, I started wondering more about naturally sequestering our carbon emissions with trees. How many trees would it take to sequester all of the CO2 we emitted in 2013?

Living a sustainable lifestyle should be simple, and we think providing practical products with an eco-friendly twist is the best way to make every day a little greener. When it comes to mealtime, our new Brasserie Porcelain Collection is ready … Continue reading → The post Everyday Sustainability: Our New Brasserie Collection appeared first on inspired habitat.

Waste is not a part of Bambeco’s vocabulary. You can see this in all the reclaimed, repurposed, upcycled, and vintage items we offer. But waste doesn’t only refer to materials and we also hate to see a story go to … Continue reading → The post Preserving History, One Bed At A Time appeared first on inspired habitat.

We all do our best to live sustainably. Maybe you compost, recycle, use renewable energy, or drive a hybrid vehicle. You probably try to conserve water too, especially when it comes to showers. But you still want the comfort of … Continue reading → The post New Bath Linens Mix Luxury, Sustainability & Function appeared first on inspired habitat.

Our new Farmstead Dinnerware combines natural materials and eco-friendly production processes with care for those who work so hard to make each piece. When you purchase it you’re not just making a sustainable choice for Earth, you’re also helping provide … Continue reading → The post Protecting The Planet, Providing Community appeared first on inspired habitat.

When it comes to bedding, nothing beats organic cotton. For comfort, purity, and environmental impact it is the top choice. Organic cotton is grown completely naturally. That means no pesticides and no chemical fertilizers, only the extra care of the … Continue reading → The post Organic Cotton: For People & Planet appeared first on inspired habitat.

I'm a firm believer that the best souvenirs of your summer vacation won't be found in the gift shops (a.k.a., tourist traps). If you really want to capture sentimental memories of your travels, look no further than your own camera. After all, you're the one who knows what made your vacation special--the experiences that moved you, the places that made you smile. If you frame your favorite shots when you get home, you'll have the best souvenirs ever! But how can you capture your vacation memories in pictures that are beautiful and unique enough to frame? I've got you…

Well, I'm back down on Planet Earth! I just returned from BlogHer15 in New York and it was quite a trip! I don't mean the train trip or the crazy cab ride; I mean it was an almost surreal mental trip, seeing my winning photograph on a continuous-loop slideshow with the other six winning photographs, blown up onto two movie screens on each side of the stage at the New York Hilton. My little picture of apples, super-sized in the Big Apple! Yep, that was definitely trippy... The award inspired me to keep on aiming for pictures of simple, natural beauty. Here's something else--or…

Although it's supposed to be lazy-hazy summertime, it seems that I'm in the midst of another "good-busy" patch. I'm wrapping up teaching my nature photography course this week. This is the fourth time I've run it, and my heart is practically bursting with gratitude to have had yet another group of enthusiastic, perfectly lovely students. The worry-wart in me keeps waiting for some ridiculously horrid person to sign up for one of my courses, but so far, everybody has been just so...nice! (Oh, dear... Did I just jinx it by writing that? Luckily, I'm the least…

My eight-year-old daughter has become quite the philosopher lately. Yesterday, after the rain ended abruptly on our drive home from her summer acting camp, I said to her, "Look at that--the rain stopped all of a sudden!" She said, "Mommy, everything is an all-of-a-sudden. Life is an all-of-a-sudden. New things just keep on happening." I have to admit that I peeked into the rear-view mirror to check if my daughter had been replaced by a mini Zen Buddhist. Nope. It was still her in the back seat, gazing up dreamily at the clouds. She's become more and more fascinated…

Happy 4th of July Weekend, friends! Just a few of the delicious things I found this week... Can reading these books make you happier and healthier? How to be the "Cool Aunt" I just signed up for this e-course from the master of mindfulness: Body and Mind are One, with Thich Nhat Hanh Here's why Lego blocks just got even more awesome. And finally, my kids and I have been whipping up all kinds of yummy variations of this homemade ice cream recipe from Kim McCosker. Her 4-ingredient/4-minute recipe couldn't get any easier. Wishing you a safe and festive holiday weekend! P.S.

Living a sustainable lifestyle should be simple, and we think providing practical products with an eco-friendly twist is the best way to make every day a little greener. When it comes to mealtime, our new Brasserie Porcelain Collection is ready … Continue reading → The post Everyday Sustainability: Our New Brasserie Collection appeared first on inspired habitat.

Waste is not a part of Bambeco’s vocabulary. You can see this in all the reclaimed, repurposed, upcycled, and vintage items we offer. But waste doesn’t only refer to materials and we also hate to see a story go to … Continue reading → The post Preserving History, One Bed At A Time appeared first on inspired habitat.

We all do our best to live sustainably. Maybe you compost, recycle, use renewable energy, or drive a hybrid vehicle. You probably try to conserve water too, especially when it comes to showers. But you still want the comfort of … Continue reading → The post New Bath Linens Mix Luxury, Sustainability & Function appeared first on inspired habitat.

Our new Farmstead Dinnerware combines natural materials and eco-friendly production processes with care for those who work so hard to make each piece. When you purchase it you’re not just making a sustainable choice for Earth, you’re also helping provide … Continue reading → The post Protecting The Planet, Providing Community appeared first on inspired habitat.

When it comes to bedding, nothing beats organic cotton. For comfort, purity, and environmental impact it is the top choice. Organic cotton is grown completely naturally. That means no pesticides and no chemical fertilizers, only the extra care of the … Continue reading → The post Organic Cotton: For People & Planet appeared first on inspired habitat.

I’ve been experimenting with a few “how to” videos for my online Norwex parties, and also for existing customers – to make sure they are getting the most out of anything they have bought. So I thought I would start sharing some here – some of them you even get to see me in! For…

This morning I was looking at my fridge and I had a brain wave! It didn’t have to be so messy. The photos stuck up there with crappy old fridge magnets from tradies we’ve probably never even used don’t have to keep falling down. And those crappy fridge magnets can disappear too. No, I am…

Did you know that dishwasher powder (or tablets) is likely one of the most toxic items in your house? In America, in a two year period, 14,000 children were admitted to emergency after eating dishwasher tablets. They are incredibly caustic and burn mouth and throat as they go down. In Australia, over 2000 kids each…

It seems like such a simple thing – toxin-free utensils. But, more and more, people are discovering that manufacturers have traded convenience for safety, and consumers are paying the price. Here’s how to choose utensils that won’t make you (or your family) sick. Avoid Plastics, When Possible Plastics often contain BPA, Bisphenol A, a chemical…

Writing about how much I love Rescue Gel the other day reminded me that I have been meaning to share some other essential oil blends with you. Here are three lovely blends for different moments in life. Uplifting & stress relief My very favourite blend (which I have shared before), is a mix of Frankincense,…

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu Patanjali has enlisted ‘depression’ or ‘depressive states’ as part of the manifestations of the obstacles one faces in the path of life – in Sutra no. 31 lesson 1 calls it ‘daurmanasya’ (negative thinking). As viewed by Yoga, all forms of ‘dis-ease’ or ‘dis-harmony’ are rooted in the mind, whether deeply or otherwise. The symptoms are a mere reflection of this on the physical body. Hence the…

It’s unfortunate how often we hear about the impact of natural disasters and the massive number of lives lost. People often feel helpless in the aftermath, and as death tolls rise, it is seen as something that we couldn’t do anything about. The millions of lives lost as a result of natural disasters is incredibly upsetting. While deaths from natural disasters can’t be stopped, they can definitely be minimized. Education can play a key role here, and people need to be taught how to react to a natural disaster. This will help to reduce the death toll massively. It is also…

Mobile offices have carved themselves a niche in the American markets for a long time now. However, off late these modern office solutions are gaining a lot of traction in the mainstream markets with more and more people and firms exploring the possibility of using mobile offices. And why not? The benefits of using mobile offices are numerous. The sheer customizability of mobile offices is staggering. Adding, removing and rearranging modules as per your requirement and convenience means never having to worry about not having enough room to fit in everything you need in your office, and makes…

The healthy living starts with the food safety and food safety is a matter of concern when you want to live a healthy life. What to eat, how to eat, when to eat is all what matters when it comes to healthy living. However, to live a healthy life, there are number of factors that contribute towards your health. Healthy living is as important as living itself, the main points to remember to operate a healthy life can be reduced to the four C’s: Cleanliness Cooking Chilling Cross-contamination So, how all of this works, Lets see: Cleanliness How I can explain this—it’s just…

The word “recycling” calls to mind little blue bins and green energy, but not all recycling actually helps the environment at all. And if you’ve ever peeked behind the barbed wire curtains of most auto “recycling” yards, then you know there’s nothing green about them. Most Americans don’t have the auto know-how to dispose of an old junk car themselves, so they hand it over or sell it to a junkyard. Some of these junkyards will even tell you they “recycle” auto scrap and broken down cars, but that’s just doublespeak for auto wrecking,…

51 Fantastic Facts About Water You may know that water is the one resource we can’t do without, but there is a whole lot more to water than you may suspect. Most of us have no problem getting access to safe drinking water at any point of the day as fresh water flows out of our taps which can be used for drinking, washing clothes or watering the garden. Shockingly, in many parts of the world people have to travel several miles to get a bucket of water to quench their thirst. This not only takes huge amount of time but also takes a toll on their body as they have to port water on their…

What is Fracking? We need fossil fuels in order to live a normal life. Powering our cars, heating our homes and lighting our streets throughout the night are only a few ways in which we use power that we derive from natural gas, petroleum and coal – the main fossil fuels. We have been gathering these fossil fuels for many years, but we are always trying to find better, more efficient ways of getting as much out of the fossil fuels that naturally exist in and around the world. Fracking is one method that we are currently using in order to gain access to natural gas and oil (petroleum)…

Pros and Cons of Fracking Fracking (the term coming from a shortening of ‘hydraulic fracturing’) is one of the more recent methods of natural gas and oil extraction. It involves drilling down deep into the Earth’s crust where there are deposits of shale gas and oil that the more usual methods of extraction have not usually been able to reach and injecting high pressured water into the rocks that contain the gas or oil. This water, mixed with sand and a special cocktail of chemicals, the ingredients of which fracking companies have not yet released to the public, causes the rocks to…

What is Ocean Acidification? If you pay attention to the climate talks, you have probably heard concern expressed over the rising rates of ocean acidification. In a nutshell, this means that the pH levels within the ocean are becoming more acidic. This has happened before in the Earth’s history but it didn’t affect mankind as they weren’t in existence. Now, ocean acidification holds the potential for impacting the human race in a great way. According to Wikipedia, Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth’s oceans, caused by the uptake of…

151 Inspiring Environmental Quotes This post contains 151 environmental quotes from great conservationists, naturalists and environmental activists like Al Gore, John Muir, John James Audubon, Gaylord Nelson and many more. These quotes have been taken from various sources on the internet. If you have any of your favorite environmental quote that we missed and you would like it to be included here, please send it to us through our contact us page. Lets nurture the nature, so that we can have a better future. ~Anonymous Environment A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is…

With this new hemp hurd and lime mixture, building just got a lot more green. Just a few years ago, there was an explosion of awareness about hemp. Suddenly hemp products were readily available and consumers were being educated about its utilitarian abilities. That seems to have tapered off a bit in the present, but new “hempcrete” might help this all natural, sustainable product find its way back into the spotlight. We usually associate hemp with body products (lotions, oils, etc.) and, well, hippies and millenials, but hempcrete is making a big impact in the realm of construction while…

Sustainability, technology, and advanced education are changing various aspects of the facilities management industry. More advanced systems can now prevent elevator breakdowns before they happen, control door functions, plan preventative maintenance, and more. Automation systems are striving to centrally control and monitor buildings from a single workstation, and also work hand-in-hand to shrink it carbon footprint, all while continuously tracking the energy used in a building. What we’ve noticed here at CFS, is that the pool of facility managers is getting younger and younger as…

If someone were to ask your opinion regarding the use of passive solar design in today’s modern world many people would scratch their heads and wonder what passive solar design is. Passive solar design goes by many names, such as passive solar, passive heating, and passive design. This strategy is used in building and structures to rely on the heat of the sun to regulate temperatures indoors without the use of artificial heating and cooling. Facilities everywhere are using solar energy as a source of renewable, green power, and passive design can be an excellent way to use a natural source…

The new Beachwood headquarters building of polymer/specialty chemicals company, OMNOVA Solutions, has earned LEED certified status from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, recognizes best-in-class sustainable building strategies and practices.To qualify, a building must comply with environmental laws and regulations, occupancy scenarios, building permanence and pre-rating completion, site boundaries, and area-to-site ratios. Its owner must also share data on the building’s energy and water use for five years after…

CFS congratulates the U.S. military for going green! Their eco-friendly and sustainability friendly construction efforts in Europe are getting attention. Two building projects undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District – one in Turkey and one in Germany – recently earned LEED Silver certifications by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a building certification program that awards construction and renovation projects that meet specific earth-friendly prerequisites and make innovative efforts for sustainability and…

Climate versus economy is a never-ending debate. One group in the world is in favor of thriving economy while another strongly advocate for climate safety. They both have their own pros and cons for each of the issue and this debate has been continuing since long. This problem actually hails from the beginning when agriculture… Read More »The post Can The Battle Of Climate Versus Economy Not Be Won? appeared first on Pollution Pollution.

The discipline of environmental management and sciences as a major subject in graduation and post graduation is comparatively new. It was introduced in western world a few decades ago but in developing and backward worlds it has yet to be introduced fully. Most of the environmental jobs in comparatively less advanced world are done by… Read More »The post 5 reasons of lack of qualified environmentalists in backward world appeared first on Pollution Pollution.

Do you know the top three pollution problems the whole world has been facing since long? Actually they are related to three main components of this world. We know that this world comprises of land, water and air. Unfortunately all the three components are affected by pollution. No one of them is free from different… Read More »The post 5 Super Easy Ways to Reuse Old Containers appeared first on Pollution Pollution.

It’s a mystery. Most probably it will remain a mystery that who was mainly responsible of the death of 1200 people in Karachi due to intense heat. How lucky is my neighbor who just termed the recent heat wave in Karachi a divine curse and asked people to mend their way of life to win… Read More »The post Did climate change kill 1200 people in Karachi heat wave? appeared first on Pollution Pollution.

Air pollution is created by contaminating the air with various harmful gases. Its main sources are vehicles and factories. If both of these sources emit smoke more than the limits it pollutes the air. It directly hits our lungs. We suffer from various respiratory diseases because of its excess. It does cause coronary diseases including… Read More »The post AIR POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES appeared first on Pollution Pollution.

That’s a lot of ‘romans’ in one blog title. It’s no coincidence though. This post is a little past its due by date, but I’m going ahead and getting it up because it’s oh so fitting and oh so timely. You see, I’ve just wrapped up my time in Romania. I really am on a journey with no end. Home one minute, up and away the next. I’m not in this to give you travel advice … →The post Beekeeping in Romania and The Unromantic Side of ‘Romantic’ Dreams appeared first on The Urban Ecolife.

So I was posed with the question – what are some healthy cheap meals a college student can enjoy that doesn’t involve cheese sandwiches and 2-minute noodles? (not that they count as healthy OR environmentally friendly by any means). I am the perfect person to answer this question. After all, I’ve been there and walked in your shoes. Both as a cash-strapped university student and a budget-inclined, poorly paid employee looking for healthy cheap meals that made me feel as good inside as they … →The post Healthy Cheap Meals and Shopping Tips For Broke…

We have a modern obsession with dieting. From Jenny Craig, to Weight Watchers, Lean Cuisine, Diet Shakes, Bikini Boot Camps and Detox Teas. It’s a $580 BILLION industry. There’s no denying that DIETING SELLS. Here’s the thing. We know dieting doesn’t work. Well, certainly not in the way these pills, potions and programs promise you it will. And yet we hold onto these false promises that they hold the answer to improving our quality of life. We are … →The post Is It Time To Put Your Lifestyle On A Diet? appeared first on The…

This is one post I am so excited to share with you! If you remember, last year I had the privilege of helping one of my dear friends and her husband build a Biofilter Duck Pond. You can read more about those adventures in building the Biofilter Duck Pond in this blog post. It was a big learning experience for all of us and one I was thrilled to be part of. I recently had the pleasure of visiting them a whole year later and gees, … →The post Permaculture Biofilter Duck Pond (Update) One Year Later appeared first on The Urban Ecolife.

It was about high time I shared with you a few things that I have fallen in love with of late. So I thought I’d bundle them all up into a love list. I enjoy reading these sort of posts from other bloggers because let’s face it, who doesn’t like to snoop into what other people are really digging, doing and totally gushing over? In a non-creepy way of course. Considering we are nearing the end of May, (wait … →The post My Latest Love List For The Month Of May appeared first on The Urban Ecolife.

If you are already a Tesla owner, you can also get a new model X for free. Tesla Motors has just launched a referral program to support sales and to reward all the customers that help them advertise the Tesla products among their friends. The Referral Program sounds like this: Anyone who orders a new Tesla Model S prior to October 31, 2015, and using a referral link of a current owner, will receive $1,000 off the purchase price, and the current owner will receive $1,000 discount, which can be used to buy a new car, visit the service center, get accessories for its Tesla vehicle. These…

Miscanthus is a grass that absorbs large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Climate change has become a true challenge for the human civilization and scientists from around the world are trying to find ways to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A team of scientists that are involved in a new European research project called “Grass Margins”, say that land and vegetation could hold the key to a new energy revolution. They say that non-native crops like Miscanthus grow very well on marginal sides of the rivers, and they produce higher yields than the…

The Sun has the capacity to power all our energy needs. Hillary Clinton is running for president in 2016, and as part of the Democratic Party and a member of the Obama administration, she wants to continue the development of the renewable energy industry in the U.S., and make the U.S. the first country in the world in terms of renewable energy generation capacity. Hillary says that future generations will look back and wonder how the current generation was so irresponsible regarding the protection of the environment. The fact that we continue to pollute the environment today has a big effect…

Tesla Model S offers now three new options. Tesla has created three new options for the famous Model S. The first option is represented by the new Model S 70 with rear wheel drive that starts now at $70,000, but if various federal and state incentives are added, the price can decrease around the amount of $60,000, and if the annual gasoline and servicing savings are added, the total cost of ownership goes as low as $594 per month. The new Model S 70 with rear wheel drive comes with a 70 kWh battery that provides a range of 230 miles. The car reaches 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and the top speed is…

Rooftop solar will be further developed in Hawaii. At this moment, the renewable energy sources represent 21% in the state’s energy mix and this is a great achievement for the year 2015 because the goal set for this year was only 15% renewables. The Hawaiian electric companies have set a new goal for the next fifteen years, meaning that the energy mix of the year 2030 will contain 65% renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, biomass, hydro and waste energy. The transition from imported oil to renewable energy sources has already started and will continue until…

Author – Sumedh Mool The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are typically considered as mass producers of job-seeking engineers to be exported abroad. However, thankfully that trend is changing with IIT campuses across India becoming the hotbeds for path-breaking innovations with industries sponsoring some of them. Here we showcase some of the best eco-friendly innovations at IIT campuses that are as diverse as biodiesel production technology to silicon tire fillers extracted from rice husk ash, topped off with by soil biotechnology. Used-to-Usable: Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil…

Author – Likhitha Krishnan Showered with constant unpleasant visits by pests in our garden, my vexed mother resorted to Google to figure out a way to avert them. Having surrendered to nature’s novel ways, she set on to become an inspirational icon for me starting our journey with natural pest control. Borrowing her insights I penned down the following methods that ensure that pests do not invade your greens. The ideal way to keep the pests in check is to avoid them from entering the home. Food, water, contamination and garbage are the baits for most insects and pests. Your first step…

Author – Aritro Ghosh Wastage of food has become a serious issue in India. Every year, large amounts of fruits and vegetables are wasted due to lack of storage facilities in India. This particularly happens since the transportation and storage facilities from the farm gate to the consumer still remains ramshackle and most farmers do not have the resources to invest in proper storage facilities. According to a recent estimate, 20-30% of 74 million tons of fruits and 143 tons of vegetables harvested every year in India are wasted due to post-harvesting mismanagement and lack of storage…

Author – Arnika Karthikeyan Today, we live in a world where cosmetics are used on a daily basis to enhance our appearance and odor. Readily available in the market, cosmetics are manufactured according to needs of different bodies. Depending upon the nature of the ingredients used, they are classified as mineral makeup and cosmetics created using organic materials. As the merits of organic make-up becomes more apparent, it is gaining prominence among the shelf of daily use items. Void of chemicals, these organic products provide a natural and harmless way of taking care of our bodies.

Author – Sahana Rajan Every item that comes in contact with our body impacts it albeit in different ways. When we began manufacturing artificial/synthetic products to cater to our daily needs of body hygiene, home cleaning, garden care, etc., we did not realize the repercussions until recently when the bubble of safety was broken to let out the air of toxicity. Chemicals are omnipresent in our daily life starting from the floor cleaning material to the packaged food we consume. These toxic chemicals can cumulatively produce an array of negative health effects including asthma, cancer,…

Last updated:2nd August, 2015, 1:50 PM The fact that anyone should be aware of today is that the earth is facing an imminent energetic crisis, as well as that at the moment, things are looking pretty grim. In order for us to overcome this problem everyone must do their part so the only responsible thing to do now would be to stop for a moment and ask yourself: “What can I do to make things better.” For those who are willing to try and make a difference the number of options is almost limitless. There are many things that can help you save energy like switching to LED bulbs or simply…

Last updated:26th July, 2015, 11:19 AM How Wind Turbines Work. If you’ve taken a road trip through California or Texas, you’ve almost certainly seen wind turbines. Wind turbines are large, magnificent tools that help power our world – but are also mysterious as well. They sometimes look like something from another planet – like if the movie The Matrix was starting on our planet Earth. Good news, though, they aren’t – wind turbines are amazing tools to generate electricity, and are magnificently designed as well. The Save On Energy team created the below…

Last updated:23rd July, 2015, 12:28 PM #TOP10 – The 10 Best Tankless Water Heaters For Maximum Energy Efficiency. Whatever you do today at home should be somehow related to energy efficiency. From the lights, to household appliances and water heaters, it is all about saving energy to help the environment. As we know, there are already energy-saving light bulbs, most of the modern appliances have the Energy Star rating and now it is time to install more productive water heaters. If you have been using an ordinary electric water heater and you see it is counting its last days, think…

Last updated:21st July, 2015, 3:54 PM Overall, there seems to be consensus among the global community that we should collectively reduce dependence on fossil fuels for the sake of the environment. As society looks to renewable sources of energy to solve the problem, it is becoming increasingly apparent that solar could offer a promising solution. In recent years, this energy sector has expanded dramatically, making sustainable energy more accessible, while also strengthening economies through job creation. Technological Advancement In the United States, the increase in solar energy production…

Last updated:23rd July, 2015, 12:24 PM Whatever you do today at home should be somehow related to energy efficiency. From the lights, to household appliances and water heaters, it is all about saving energy to help the environment. As we know, there are already energy-saving light bulbs, most of the modern appliances have the Energy Star rating and now it is time to install more productive water heaters. If you have been using an ordinary electric water heater and you see it is counting its last days, think about a tankless heater. Water Standby – More Energy Waste The first thing that is…

Facts You Need to Know About Quitting Smoking Nicotine, the main drug in a cigarette or tobacco, is the reason for smoking addiction. After long time smoking, your brain will adapt to nicotine and long for a cigarette. When are boring, in blue mood or tired, your brain may give out a message: you need a cigarette. This happens again and again. Many things can trigger your cravings for a cigarette, the smell of a cigarette, an ashtray next to… Continue Reading ›› The post 10 Messages You Need to Know About Quitting Smoking appeared first on AirBetter.org.

Five Modern Methods of Air Purification For most families, keeping the high-quality indoor air is of great importance for their well-beings. The best way to maintain the clean and pure indoor air is to circulate the air through natural ways, such as, opening the doors or windows. However, most modern houses are sealed tightly, making it hard for the natural breezes to blow through them. So purifying the air naturally seems to be unavailable for most homes. Fortunately, modern technologies… Continue Reading ›› The post Five Air Purification Technologies appeared first on…

Asthma Treatment and Control Methods Asthma is a type of chronic disease. The frustrating fact is that it is incurable, but there still have many methods, such as using useful tools or taking medications, to help treat or control asthma. In addition, some practical benchmarks can also be used to estimate your progress of treatment. 1. Helpful tools: The Peak Flow Meter This little device is simple and easy to handle in hands. When you blow air into it, the… Continue Reading ›› The post Treatment and Control of Asthma appeared first on AirBetter.org.

Main Features of Air Purifiers from Germ Guardian GermGuardian is a consumer products company that develops and sells superior home environment products for mass retail. GermGuardian Air Purifiers, backed by Guardian technologies, focus on creating a better home environment for customers. Germ Guardian Air Purifiers, ideal to use in rooms sizing 100 to 800 square feet, utilize innovative, safe and natural technologies to clean and refresh the air. And, at the core of Guardian technology, the naturally occurring ultraviolet (UV-C)… Continue Reading ›› The post Germ Guardian…

Guides to Choose A Holmes Air Purifier As one of the leading makers of electric goods, Holmes has gained rich experiences in producing excellent and dependable products through over 30 years’ attempts. We will talk about Holmes air purifier reviews in this post. Air purifier might be a relatively new sector, but this also means that great potentials are waiting for Holmes. And Holmes air purifiers have taken up some market share in portable and console air purifiers field once… Continue Reading ›› The post Holmes Air Purifier Reviews & Comparisons 2015 appeared first…

Sean Penrith, The Climate Trust June 24, 2015 The Climate Trust was asked to provide testimony to the Portland City Council addressing City Resolution 689 that supports climate bonds to finance climate mitigation and adaptation; Testimony occurred while the 2015 City of Portland/Multnomah County Climate Action Plan was under consideration. The following letter is a summary of executive director, Sean Penrith’s testimony on behalf of The Climate Trust. Portland City Council City Hall, Council Chambers 1221 SW 4th Ave. Portland Oregon 97204 Good afternoon Mayor Hales and Commissioners,…

By USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) As broadcast on YouTube – May 13, 2015 NRCS Chief, Jason Weller, and agency partners describe NRCS’ role in Environmental Markets and how those markets complement NRCS’ work with private landowners. The Climate Trust’s Sean Penrith speaks at 2:20 on leveraging dollars for environmental benefit.

Kasey Krifka, The Climate Trust Live on P.R. Web – July 7, 2015 The Climate Trust, a mission-driven nonprofit that specializes in financing climate solutions, today unveiled their new brand design reflective of their recently refined business model. Working with Portland-based branding agency, OVO, The Trust had a goal of uniting the different facets of their business through a dynamic visual system and transparent, inspirational messaging. “While the company is rapidly evolving, our trademark and mission—the essence of our brand—should too,” said Sean Penrith, executive…

Sheldon Zakreski, The Climate Trust As published by Triple Pundit – July 1, 2015 When the Oregon legislature passed a law in 1997 requiring new power plants to reduce carbon emissions, it was seen as a significant step in combatting climate change. Looking back almost 20 years later, it’s also played a role in developing rural economies throughout Oregon. The Oregon Carbon Dioxide Standard (the Oregon Standard) requires new power plants to reduce their net carbon dioxide emissions to 17 percent below the level of the best existing gas combustion-turbine plant anywhere in the United…

Elizabeth Hardee, The Climate Trust As published by Triple Pundit – June 29, 2015 In my daily work, I read a lot of online articles about climate change—both the science and the politics—and out of curiosity I’m invariably drawn to the comments section at the end of the page (first rule of the internet—never read the comments!). What I’ve observed is that these comments tend more often than not to be variations on one of the following themes: Climate change isn’t happening, we are only experiencing the earth’s natural cycles Climate change isn’t happening, it is a hoax…

Germany broke their own record for renewable energy at the end of July, providing for 78% of their energy needs on the 25th and generating 40.65 GW with just solar and wind. They had previously managed to get 74% of their energy needs from renewables. Biomass and hydropower also helped, … The post German Renewable Energy Provides 78% Power for Afternoon appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

The future of electric cars will likely involve a shift from the batteries currently used to capacitors instead. Even in 2011, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors knew that capacitors would outstrip the battery in both performance and cost. While replacing batteries with capacitors is still out of the … The post Georgia Tech Supercapacitors Could Outperform Batteries Thanks to New Compound appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Carbon-harvesting, smog-capturing tower is soon to emerge in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. All carbon that is collected will then be turned into jewelry. Not too long ago, when Beijing smog was making the news nearly every day, there was a Dutch designer, Daan Roosegaarde, and his team at Studio Roosegaarde, who … The post Smog-Capturing Tower to be Built in Rotterdam appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Don’t let that biomass go to waste! Weeds are not good for the garden, but not all of them need to be thrown away. Some can actually be used as a food source. With all the pesticides and other methods of keeping weeds away, simply eating them seems like a … The post 8 Sustainable Weeds You Can Eat appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Obama Administration had previously proposed legislation requiring pollution-emitters like power plants to begin dramatically cutting their emissions starting in the year 2020. The legislation still has not been finalized, and according to people involved in the planning, the EPA will extend the deadline until the year … The post EPA: States Have Until 2022 to Comply With Pollution Regulations appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

As scorching temperatures plague the nation from coast to coast, wildfires rage in even the most unlikely places. MENTION WILDFIRE, and the scorched hills of California, parched western plains of Washington, and beetle-infested forests of the Rocky Mountains come to mind. The wilds of Alaska aren’t generally considered to be a high risk location, but as it turns out, 2015 is shaping up to be the state’s worst wildfire season ever.

Big deals and serious growth in the solar industry are changing the axis of power in the energy sector. You know that an industry has hit its stride when the ten-figure acquisitions begin. It seems that the solar sector is getting down to some serious business, as evidenced by renewable energy behemoth SunEdison’s purchase of Vivint Solar, one of the largest residential PV installers in the nation, for $2.2 billion earlier this week.

Hot sticky summer nights can make it impossible to get a good night’s sleep, unless you crank the air conditioner up. But you’re back to sleepless nights again when you see your utility bill! Thankfully, there are other ways you can sleep cool this summer; here are 10 energy efficient tips to help you sleep in the heat.

By now, anyone who is a regular reader of Green Builder Magazine has seen the news that our publication has been named “Best Trade Magazine” for the third year running in the NAREE Real Estate Journalism Competition; in addition, we were also awarded gold for Best Website. THESE ARE GREAT HONORS for any publishing company, but especially for a small, privately held one like ours, which competes with the likes of Inman News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and many more. Credit for this prestigious recognition belongs to our entire team, whose names appear on our masthead, and…

Going green is important in all the aspects of your life, so it's no surprise that when you set out to decorate your home, you want to make eco-friendly choices that will still reflect your unique sense of style. If you're looking for an idea of where to start, check out these sources of inspiration.

Coconut dust is a byproduct of the coir industry and can be an excellent soil Among the many soil medium alternatives to choose from, the medium known as “coco” is a fascinating one. Created from coconut matter, it’s an organic soil and has a number of beneficial properties for plants. Palm trees have been cultivated for thousands of years, in part because of the many uses of coconuts. In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo found that coconut fiber, also known as coir, was being extracted from coconuts in the Persian Gulf and China to make rope for ships and…

Ancient Egyption depiction of irrigation Irrigation is among the most important pillars to an abundant society. It allowed the ancient Egyptions and Incans to avoid famine by using systems such as aqueducts and canals to divert water to their crops. Bill Gates has pointed out that almost every country that has become wealthy started with a huge increase in farming productivity. Irrigation can be the difference between harvesting one crop a year and harvesting five. It creates wealth that allows society to invest and innovate. And the ancient technology is still evolving. In…

Kickstart’s Moneymaker treadle pump is helping to lift people out of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa In many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, for so long the popular narrative has revolved around poverty and hunger. There is a group beginning to succeed at replacing that story with one of entrepreneurship and pride, in vast numbers. 80% of the poor in Sub-Saharan Africa are rural farmers and around 96% of their agriculture is rain fed. Since it only rains a few months a year, everyone grows food at the same time, the market becomes flooded and around 65% of the food spoils. In a…

New York’s early 20th century Pennsylvania Station in contrast to modern day Madison Square Garden I lived in New Jersey for a brief stint (don’t judge me) and would frequently ride into New York City by train to Penn Station. If you’ve ever been to Penn Station before, I don’t think you’d find it impolite for me to call the place a dump. Tunneled beneath Madison Square Garden, with unsavory characters lurking around each corner, its the type of place you hustle through whether you’re late for a train or not. When I found out this was not always…

A Forever Flowering Greenhouse with automated light deprivation, designed for the cannabis industry Rick Pfrommer has been part of the cannabis movement for over 25 years and was one of the founding members of California’s Harborside Health Center almost 10 years ago. Rick and Harborside were featured on the Discovery Channel’s Weed Wars (episodes available here). Touting more than 100,000 patients, Harborside is one of the largest dispensaries in the world. Prior to leaving Harborside to focus on his own consulting company, Rick oversaw all cannabis purchasing activity.

CNN almost completely ignored last year's landmark Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, but this week CNN.com extensively covered a discredited climate science denier theory that was mentioned in a non-peer-reviewed study.If "objective" news outlets were proactively trying to get people to not care about the climate crisis, how would it look different than what we have now?

Mailbox post in trash can filled with cement in middle of sidewalk in Mattapoisett, MAWe're constantly told Americans drive everywhere because of our mythical love affair with cars, but trying to bike in car-dependent areas feels a lot more like we're trapped in a bad relationship.Obstacles encountered on the sidewalk of Route 6 in Mattapoisett recently while trying to bike home:Utility polesTrash carts left by pickup crews in the middle of the sidewalkAbandoned traffic conesAbandoned utility pole support posts now supporting nothingMailbox postsShards of old mailbox posts sticking up…

NextSun Energy wants to build a small solar farm not far from me in Rochester, MA. While I don't know if this is the right place for the project, some of the opposition is ... not exactly honest. From the Sippican Week: “I know there are four abutters or more. It’s an island of commercial in a residential area,” Monteiro said.The historic district is an area that encompasses three square miles in the center of town. Buildings such as Plumb Library, the First Congregational Church and Town Hall are all located in the area.Such a historic area, clearly undisturbed since colonial times!

Last month was a huge success, thanks to all the folks who ordered Roots Sunglasses. Those orders have been shipped and the shades are now available for full price through the website. This month's product is something totally different, a solid bamboo Ipad tote that we are calling The Woodchuck. It's a solidly constructed, beautifully machined wood sleeve to protect your tablet. The inside is lined with super-soft felt to keep your screen from getting scratched, and it has a leather strap that snaps in place to secure your precious Ipad. It's made to fit Ipad versions 1 and 2. We are working…

Are you interested in buying eco-friendly products made from sustainable materials? If you're like many of our customers, you care about where your products come from, and you want to support businesses and products that take care of the planet in the course of doing business. To foster a growing awareness and create conversation about sustainable materials, we created a special Google Plus community so we could talk to our customers, other businesses, and other interested people about where to find and buy materials and products that are truly sustainable. We'd like to invite you to join our…

Bamboo is an amazing material. Used to make everything from musical instruments to buildings to clothing to paper, you can eat it, put it in medicine, wear it, and machine it into beautiful products (like bamboo sunglasses!). Bamboo has a higher compressive strength than wood, brick or concrete and a tensile strength comparable to steel! Technically a grass, it can grow up to 35 inches PER DAY! That's what makes it so useful as a sustainable material. Since it grows so fast, it can quickly and cheaply be replaced, unlike many woods that require many years to grow back once used. So where…

Adaptation. Resilience. Readiness. Whatever you call it, it's time get our coastline ready for this "slow moving emergency."Active bluff failures at Fletcher Cove, Solana BeachSource: WikiCommonsSea levels are rising in California as they are throughout the world. To date the rise has been measured in inches, but it will increase noticeably in our lifetimes. What we know and enjoy along the California coastline is going to look a lot different over the next twenty to eighty years. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently released a report,…

As I write this post at mid-day on July 23, I can see online that the California electric grid is absorbing over 9,600 Megawatts of renewable energy, meeting 29% of current energy demand. That's equivalent to the output of about nine major power plants.July 23, 2015Source: California Independent System OperatorI know this because a little known agency, the California Independent System Operator (ISO), posts near-instantaneous data about California electric supply and demand (here). The ISO manages the flow of electricity over long-distance transmission lines for about 80% of…

50% renewable energy by 2030 is another California climate goal that is reachable and replicable. The California Public Utilities Commission says the major utilities under their jurisdiction are already past 20% renewable and plan to surpass 30% renewable procurement by 2016 (report here). Governor Jerry Brown set the 50% renewable goal for the electricity sector and getting there was the subject of a workshop held by his representatives recently. (Agenda/presenters here; available slides here) The 50% by 2030 goal builds on the previously adopted "renewable portfolio standard" goal of…

The Sacramento Bee has published my op-ed discussing how an upcoming Sacramento City Council decision on a mega-gas station relates to larger climate change issues. The op-ed is reprinted below:Mega-gas Station will Worsen Climate ChangeWith great fanfare, the Sacramento City Council adopted a Climate Action Plan in 2012 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change.The plan is well liked outside Sacramento. Mayor Kevin Johnson received national credit, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to a White House task force.But to maintain leadership, the council…

More California greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation than any other sector. The most recent inventory from the California Air Resources Board shows transportation emissions of over 172 million tons annually, accounting for 37% of the state total (data here). 90% of the transportation emissions come from on-road sources, with the remainder coming from rail, aviation, off-road and watercraft.Cutting transportation related carbon emissions by 50% between now and 2030 was the subject of a workshop held by several California agencies earlier this week. (Agenda and…